Animal Profiles
Birds

Heron

Ardeidae

Living

Living individuals or members of this group exist today. This does not mean they are safe from extinction.

Herons are long-legged waterbirds. This account describes the grey heron (Ardea cinerea), which waits patiently or stalks slowly through shallows before striking at prey.

Ardea cinerea (heron)

Representative species: Ardea cinerea.

Giacomo Cimino ( foto.giacomocimino.workers.dev · @giacomociminoph ) · CC BY-SA

At a glance

Habitat
Wetlands, Rivers and lakes, Coast
Diet
Piscivore
Food
Mainly fish, with other small animals.

Classification

Common name
Heron
Browse group
Birds
Scientific name or taxon
Ardeidae
Taxon rank
family
Order
Pelecaniformes
Family
Ardeidae
Source classification
Aves

Taxonomy checked against GBIF. For breeds and hybrids, this describes the listed parent taxon.

Three things to know

  • Fish make up much of its diet.
  • Some populations migrate and others remain resident.
  • It uses shallow water for hunting.

Habitat and range

Grey herons range across Eurasia and Africa. Rivers, lakes, marshes, estuaries and other shallow waters provide feeding habitat, with trees often used for roosting and nesting.

Appearance and adaptations

Grey upperparts contrast with a paler neck and darker head markings. Long legs support the body above water, and the pointed bill grasps slippery prey.

Diet and behaviour

Fish are the main food, supplemented by amphibians, crustaceans, insects and small vertebrates. Birds hunt in shallow water or on land. Seasonal movement varies between populations rather than following a single migration pattern.

Sources

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