Facts, Information, Scientific Name of Grey Heron
Let us learn about the Heron that is tall and has a great strategy for Hunting.
Common Name- Grey Heron.
Scientific name – Ardea cinerea
Size- 40 inches
Type- Aves.
Distribution and Habitat
Grey Heron is found in Wetlands, lakes, Rivers, ponds, marshes as well as the sea coasts of Europe, Asia, Africa and North America.
They are also seen standing on Trees.
Description of Grey Heron-
Grey Heron has Grey and Dark grey colour plumage with pink legs.
The supercilium is an area around the eyes that is Black in Grey Herons.
The Iris(eye region) is yellow and the beak is yellow.
Grey Herons has a long neck with a white crest.
The flight of a Grey Heron is slow with a long neck that is bent and seen as ‘S’-shaped, during flight.
Food and Predation technique of Grey Heron-
Grey Herons hunt at dawn or dusk.
Herons consume fish, frogs, small mammals, Crustaceans, insects and small ducklings.
Grey Herons while feeding on the prey in the water body stand still or without any movement on the water bank, stone or any support and let the prey come towards it, later strike to catch it.
Small-sized prey is directly swallowed by Grey Herons, the large size prey are cut and crushed by beating on the ground or any hard surface.
Breeding colonies & Courtship
Grey Heron breeds in the colonies called ‘Heronries’.
Courtship includes the male greetings by raising and lowering wings. The female later participates in greeting, followed by Neck stretching, and leg flexing (bending) at least 20-40 times.
The male collects material and the female constructs the nests. The nest is lined with Twigs, grass and strands of roots.
Females lay 3-5 eggs after incubation for 25 days
Both males and Female Incubate the eggs.
Chicks are fed by Males and Females by regurgitation of Food.
Chicks fledge after 7-8 weeks.
The life cycle of a Grey Heron is of 5 years.
Also See ⇒ Green Bee-eater Facts