Tadekptaku (talk | contribs) |
|||
| Line 19: | Line 19: | ||
Like others of the family, the Grey Heron flies with its long neck retracted and the head pulled back into its shoulders. | Like others of the family, the Grey Heron flies with its long neck retracted and the head pulled back into its shoulders. | ||
== Distribution == | == Distribution == | ||
| − | A very widespread Old World species breeding across much of Eurasia and Africa. Breeds throughout the British Isles and much of mainland Europe from north and central France north to coastal Scandinavia and east across Russia to Sakhalin, Manchuria and Japan. In the south found at scattered localities from Iberia to Greece and Turkey, the Caucasus and east across southern Asia, India and Indochina south to Sumatra and Java. In Africa breeds on the Mediterranean coast and in the Nile Valley, on the Banc D'Arguin in Mauritania, probably also on the Azores, in West Africa, western Madagascar and from Ethiopia south to South Africa.<br/> | + | A very widespread Old World species breeding across much of Eurasia and Africa. Breeds throughout the [[British Isles]] and much of mainland [[Europe]] from north and central [[France]] north to coastal [[Scandinavia]] and east across [[Russia]] to Sakhalin, Manchuria and [[Japan]]. In the south found at scattered localities from [[Iberia]] to [[Greece]] and [[Turkey]], the Caucasus and east across southern Asia, [[India]] and Indochina south to [[Sumatra]] and [[Java]]. In Africa breeds on the Mediterranean coast and in the Nile Valley, on the Banc D'Arguin in Mauritania, probably also on the Azores, in West Africa, western [[Madagascar]] and from [[Ethiopia]] south to [[South Africa]].<br/> |
| + | |||
| + | Northernmost birds are migratory and winter range is more extensive in Europe, Africa, south-west [[Asia]] and [[Indonesia]]. Vagrant north to [[Greenland]] and Svalbard and to the south a rare resident/migrant or vagrant to [[Azores]] and [[Cape Verde Islands]]. Also recorded on Bermuda, the West Indies and in [[Newfoundland]]. | ||
| − | |||
== Habitat == | == Habitat == | ||
Colonial breeder, usually in trees in most of Europe, sometimes on a cliff or in reedbeds in the east, race monicae nests on the ground on islets. Frequents the margins of a variety of freshwaters including lakes, streams and swamps, brackish lagoons and estuaries, and often sea-coasts. Also feeds or rests on grassland. | Colonial breeder, usually in trees in most of Europe, sometimes on a cliff or in reedbeds in the east, race monicae nests on the ground on islets. Frequents the margins of a variety of freshwaters including lakes, streams and swamps, brackish lagoons and estuaries, and often sea-coasts. Also feeds or rests on grassland. | ||
Revision as of 15:00, 18 August 2008
- Ardea cinerea
Other Names
German: Graureiher; Afrikaans: Bloureier ; Polish: Czapla siwa
Identification
Height 90-98 cm
Weight up to 2 kg
- Bright white crown
- Black line running from above and behind the eye to the nape and extending as a spike-like crest
- White neck with a double row of black streaks down the throat
- Underparts grey
- Black patch from shoulder down to flanks
- Grey back and wings
- Long, yellow bill
- Greenish-yellow legs and feet
- All-grey underwing
Like others of the family, the Grey Heron flies with its long neck retracted and the head pulled back into its shoulders.
Distribution
A very widespread Old World species breeding across much of Eurasia and Africa. Breeds throughout the British Isles and much of mainland Europe from north and central France north to coastal Scandinavia and east across Russia to Sakhalin, Manchuria and Japan. In the south found at scattered localities from Iberia to Greece and Turkey, the Caucasus and east across southern Asia, India and Indochina south to Sumatra and Java. In Africa breeds on the Mediterranean coast and in the Nile Valley, on the Banc D'Arguin in Mauritania, probably also on the Azores, in West Africa, western Madagascar and from Ethiopia south to South Africa.
Northernmost birds are migratory and winter range is more extensive in Europe, Africa, south-west Asia and Indonesia. Vagrant north to Greenland and Svalbard and to the south a rare resident/migrant or vagrant to Azores and Cape Verde Islands. Also recorded on Bermuda, the West Indies and in Newfoundland.
Habitat
Colonial breeder, usually in trees in most of Europe, sometimes on a cliff or in reedbeds in the east, race monicae nests on the ground on islets. Frequents the margins of a variety of freshwaters including lakes, streams and swamps, brackish lagoons and estuaries, and often sea-coasts. Also feeds or rests on grassland.
In some parts of range a common bird in urban areas. The Grey Heron is a familiar bird of lakes, rivers, pans and also rocky coastlines where it is usually seen hunting in shallow water.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Nominate race occurs over most of range with much paler monicae on the Banc D'Arguin of Mauritania, jouyi' in the east from Japan to Java and firasa on Madagascar, Aldabra and the Comoros.
Behaviour
Birds spend long periods standing still in the water, waiting patiently for prey to swim within range of a lightning fast lunge of the bill.
Foraging & Food
Grey Herons eat fish, frogs, crabs, insects and also land animals. They true opportunists and have even been recorded catching swifts flying in to their nests under a low level bridge.
Breeding
The nest is a large structure of sticks, which is placed in a tree or reedbed, very often in a mixed heronry, which may include several species of herons and egrets, as well as cormorants, spoonbills and other waterbirds.
Voice
The call is a guttural kraak.
<flashmp3>Ardea cinerea (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
