Birds · Pelecaniformes · Ardeidae

Grey Heron

Ardea cinerea

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The chicks compete fiercely for the food their parents bring up, and cannibalism between siblings has been documented. Even after surviving that, more than 80% do not live through their first year in the wild.

Weight

1 kg – 2.1 kg

Size

84 cm – 1 m

Lifespan

5 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Colony

Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

FreshwaterCarnivore Diurnal Colonial Bird Freshwater

64countries 7parks11same family

Fun facts

comportamientoIt can stand completely still at the water's edge for long stretches, waiting for a fish to come close enough before striking with an extraordinarily fast stab of the bill.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - pneumatised bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: A wide range of wetlands across Europe, Asia and Africa: rivers, lakes, marshes and coasts
Birth weight: Exact weight at hatching not found as a precise figure
Size at birth: Altricial and completely dependent on its parents, but already able to compete aggressively with its siblings for food
Sexual maturity: 1-2 years
Gestation / incubation: 25-28 days
Litter / clutch size: 1 to 10 eggs per clutch (most commonly 3-5)