Grey Heron Identification

The Grey Heron has the silhouette of a large wader with its long neck and long legs.

It is a very large bird. It is about 1 m tall. Slightly smaller than a stork.

The wingspan can reach almost 2 m.

The back is grey.

The underside is whitish with a black-striped neck.

The wings are grey with black flight feathers and two small light patches at the angle.

The black flight feathers and light patches are clearly visible in flight.

It has a white forehead and cheeks, with a black stripe running from the eye to the end of the crest.

Its beak is strong and dagger-shaped.

It is yellowish-grey…

but turns orange during the breeding season.

In breeding plumage, the black crest lengthens and ornamental feathers appear on the lower neck and near the scapulars.

Its legs also turn yellow.

The male will have brighter colors than the female during the breeding season.

Juveniles are duller. They have a grey forehead and cap with a dark upper beak and legs.

The Grey Heron emits loud croaks, often in the evening or at night in flight.

Its flight call sounds like a hoarse and piercing croak "krèik".

During the breeding season, it adds other calls and bill clattering.

Young in the nest, calling for food, make chattering noises all day.

It is often seen with its neck retracted, at rest …

or in flight to balance its body weight.

It sometimes flies high in the sky, with its long legs extended, making slow wing beats.

These are arched and sometimes give it a hunched appearance.

It is noticeable standing still like a statue or walking slowly in shallow water...

The Grey Heron breeds from February to July.

It nests in colonies in a "heronry".

It settles in woods and groves near wetlands.

Its nest is made of twigs, high in the trees …

or of twigs and reeds on a platform of dry stems in reed beds.

It produces one brood per year (sometimes 2).

The young are fed with fish.

When very young, the chicks feed from the beak of adults.

As they grow older, they feed in the nest once the adults have regurgitated the prey (causing a pig-like cry).

The Grey Heron mainly feeds on fish but also on rodents and other terrestrial prey.

It hunts by ambush at the water's edge…

…or in a field for rodents...

As soon as it spots prey, it violently extends its neck, capturing or spearing it if it is large enough, with its dagger-like beak (fish, voles).

It can digest bones but not rodent fur, which it ejects as pellets.

It is found along shallow watercourses, lakes…

flooded meadows and ditches…

and in fields and meadows (especially in winter to hunt rodents).

It is sedentary and sometimes a partial migrant.

It is present all year round in Western Europe.

In Eastern and Northern Europe, it is present in summer.

In winter, some populations migrate to Southern Europe and around the Mediterranean basin.

It can live up to 25 years.