Great blue herons are commonly spotted standing still in the waters of estuaries. Adapted to maximize their hunting prowess, the signature S-shaped neck acts as a powerful spring when the egret swiftly extends it to stab. This particular bend in the neck is also highly aerodynamic: it reduces air resistance as the egret flies. Robots, drones, and other technologies specializing in locomotion through the air may take direct inspiration from this S-shape to create an aerodynamic design capable of rapidly extending itself for whatever specified purpose.

Like many other birds, the great blue heron’s massive body is lightweight, only 5 to 6 pounds (from Cornell Lab’s All About Birds). This is due to the trabecular structure of their hollow bones, which creates a porous lattice network. The lightweight bones help the herons maximize size without compromising flight. This trabecular structure can be mimicked in material science fields, allowing for various designs to reduce cost with reduced material and achieve greater sizes while staying within weight constraints.

Serrated talons are key to a heron’s preening, as they act like combs that remove oils from their feathers to maintain the waterproof properties. To accomplish more fine filtering of unwanted things like oils, the shape of serrated talons can be mimicked.

Sources:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Blue_Heron/overview
https://www.audubon.org/magazine/more-you-ever-wanted-know-about-heron-necks

Photos from Photography Environmental Initiative Club at Torrey Pines High School