Grey herons are unmistakeable: tall, with long legs, a long beak and grey, black and white feathering. They can stand with their neck stretched out, looking for food, or hunched down with their neck bent over their chest.
Key ID Features:
Adults are large pale grey and white , long-necked and legged birds with black wing tips and trailing edges, most evident when in flight.
White neck has black spotting.
Large yellow-orange dagger-like bill.
Adults have narrow, black lines above the eyes which extend into long plumes.
Often seen standing motionless in water ready for sudden strike on fish or other prey.
Overview
Scientific name: Ardea cinerea
Family: Bitterns and herons (Ardeidae)
Where to see them:
Around any kind of water – garden ponds, lakes, rivers and even on estuaries. Sometimes, grey herons circle high up into the sky and can be mistaken for large birds of prey.
Seen in UK:
All year round.
What they eat
Lots of fish, but also small birds such as ducklings, small mammals like voles, and amphibians. After harvesting, grey herons can sometimes be seen in fields, looking for rodents.
Text (c) RSPB, used with permission
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Location: Ham Wall, Somerset
Photographer: Tim Tapley
