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Grey heron

Ardea cinerea

Description:

It is a large bird, standing up to 100 cm (39 in) tall and measuring 84–102 cm (33–40 in) long with a 155–195 cm (61–77 in) wingspan.[2] The body weight can range from 1.02–2.08 kg (2.2–4.6 lb).[3] Its plumage is largely grey above, and off-white below. Adults have a white head with a broad black supercilium and slender crest, while immatures have a dull grey head. It has a powerful, pinkish-yellow bill, which is brighter in breeding adults. It has a slow flight, with its long neck retracted (S-shaped). This is characteristic of herons and bitterns, and distinguishes them from storks, cranes and spoonbills, which extend their necks. The call is a loud croaking "fraaank". The Australian white-faced heron is often incorrectly called a grey heron. In Ireland the grey heron is often colloquially called a "crane".

Habitat:

Grey Heron are habitat generalists who are equally at freshwater inland, to the estuaries and in coastal regions at home. Your claims to their habitat are relatively small. You need proximity to waters with shallow water, relatively large prey and four to five months, in which the water does not freeze. Accordingly, they are found on shores of lakes, rivers, floodplains, reed beds, marshes, ponds, beaches, mangroves and salt marshes. Pastures which are located at some distance from the nearest waters are also used. Such habitats found the heron usually in the lowlands. It also shows an unusual for herons altitudinal distribution. So he comes in Armenia at altitudes of 2,000 meters above sea level before and in northwest India you can still find him at altitudes of 4,000 meters. He often uses very waters that have been created by man. These include dam waters, rice fields and fish ponds. When resting and nesting trees he uses high trees which are as far as possible free from interference.

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4 Comments

Benno Ibold
Benno Ibold 9 years ago

Thank you venusflytrap2000

Caleb Steindel
Caleb Steindel 9 years ago

great photography bennolbold!

Benno Ibold
Benno Ibold 9 years ago

Thank you Martin.

MartinUrban
MartinUrban 9 years ago

phantastic series ! !

Benno Ibold
Spotted by
Benno Ibold

Kamp-Lintfort, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

Spotted on Jun 12, 2014
Submitted on Jun 22, 2014

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Reference

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