Pixel Wild
Grey Heron
Grey Heron
Ardea cinerea
Aves
COMMON

Stats

Lifespan
5-15 yrs
Size
Large
Diet
Carnivore
Activity
Diurnal
Social
Colony
Biome
Freshwater wetland
Range
Eurasia and Africa
Movement
Flight
Breeding
Egg-laying
Defense
Camouflage
Status
Common

About

Europe's tallest heron, the grey heron stands motionless for minutes before striking water with its dagger bill at lightning speed. It can swallow prey — including rabbits and other birds — whole.

Life cycle

  1. 1.
    egg
    A clutch of eggs is incubated in the nest, kept warm by a brooding parent until the chicks pip free.
  2. 2.
    hatchling
    A naked or downy hatchling is fed in the nest by its parents.
  3. 3.
    juvenile
    A feathered juvenile fledges from the nest and learns to fly and forage.
  4. 4.
    adult
    Fully grown with adult plumage.

Learn more

Taxonomy

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Pelecaniformes
Family
Ardeidae
Genus
Ardea
Species
Ardea cinerea