GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea)

About 90 cm long, its plumage is grey on the back and white on the head and the neck, with a black stripe on both sides of the body. It is characterized by his very long neck and legs and his long straight beak.

In Italy it especially occurs in rice-fields in Piedmont and in the plain of the Po, but can also be found by the sea-shore and in lagoons. In the rest of the world this species is spread throughout the African and the Asian continents.

Food and feeding

It feeds in shallow water, catching fish, frogs, and insects with its long bill. Herons will also take small mammals and reptiles. They occasionally take birds up to the size of a Water Rail.It will often wait motionless for prey, or slowly stalk its victim.

City life

In the Netherlands, the Grey Heron has established itself over the past decades in great numbers in urban environments. In cities like Amsterdam, they are ever present and well adapted to modern city life. They hunt as usual but also visit street markets and snackbars. They are also present at the zoo during feeding times for penguins, pelicans and seals. Some individuals make use of people feeding them at their homes or recreational fishermen to share their catch. Similar behaviour on a smaller scale has been reported in Ireland.

Breeding

This species breeds in colonies in trees close to lakes, the seashore or other wetlands, although it will also nest in reedbeds.

It builds a bulky stick nest.