---
title: "What the sources say about the Grey Heron | AnimalTracks.wiki"
description: "45 claims from the Grey Heron profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it."
image: "https://animaltracks.wiki/images/animals/grey-heron-1.webp"
canonical: "https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/grey-heron/sources/"
---

# What the sources say about the Grey Heron (*Ardea cinerea*)

> 45 claims from the Grey Heron profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it. A "..." marks a cut in a quote and [brackets] an insertion.

Profile: [Grey Heron](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/grey-heron/)

## Ardea cinerea (grey heron). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Ardea_cinerea/

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| A fish-eater that usually hunts by standing still, then generally swallows its catch whole. | Grey herons feed on a wide range of prey items but are primarily piscivores. (note: tagline; rest below) |
| usually hunts by standing still | Usually these herons stand still and wait for prey to approach in the water. |
| generally swallows its catch whole | They capture prey with their bills and generally swallow it whole, in one swift gulping action. |
| Shallow water across Eurasia and Africa, from rivers and lakes to marshes and estuaries | These bodies of water may include saltwater or brackish inlets and estuaries, freshwater rivers, streams, lakes, or marshes (note: stats.habitat; the source says 'may include') |
| Mostly fish, plus insects, crustaceans, frogs and small mammals | In addition to fish (Class Actinopterygii), their diet consists of insects (Class Insecta), crustaceans (Subphylum Crustacea), frogs (Class Amphibia) and small mammals. (note: stats.diet) |
| Typically waits for prey to come within striking range, then generally swallows it whole | Hunting behaviors typically involve waiting for prey until they are within striking range. (note: stats.superpower) |
| Typically waits for prey to come within striking range, then generally swallows it whole | generally swallow it whole, in one swift gulping action (note: stats.superpower) |
| wades through shallow water or walks on land | To locate food, grey herons wade through shallow water or move on land. |
| typically waits for prey to come within striking range | Hunting behaviors typically involve waiting for prey until they are within striking range. |
| Fish are the main course, which makes it a piscivore | Grey herons feed on a wide range of prey items but are primarily piscivores. |
| Insects, crustaceans, frogs and small mammals count as food too, and it sometimes takes tiny birds. | their diet consists of insects (Class Insecta), crustaceans (Subphylum Crustacea), frogs (Class Amphibia) and small mammals. They sometimes even ingest tiny birds. |
| The biggest bird species a grey heron has been recorded trying to eat is the white-throated rail. | Recent studies have documented grey herons attempting to prey upon and consume white-throated rails (Dryomnas cuvieri aldabranus). This is the largest bird species upon which grey herons attempt to prey. |
| a heron pulls its head back toward its body and trails its legs behind it | grey herons fly with their head pulled back toward the body while keeping their legs extended behind them |
| Cranes fly with the neck extended, which sets the two apart. | This body positioning during flight distinguishes herons from cranes (Family Gruidae), which fly with their neck extended. |
| Grey herons live across Eurasia and Africa | They are found throughout Eurasia and Africa. |
| that can include freshwater rivers, streams, lakes and marshes, saltwater or brackish inlets and estuaries, and even fish farms | These bodies of water may include saltwater or brackish inlets and estuaries, freshwater rivers, streams, lakes, or marshes, and even aquacultures used in fish farming. |
| Grey herons are mostly solitary | While grey herons are generally solitary birds, they gather during the breeding season to improve their chances of finding a mate. |
| Eggs typically take 25 to 26 days to hatch | Eggs typically take 25 to 26 days to incubate and hatch. |
| the chicks fledge (leave the nest) after about 50 days | Hatchlings fledge after approximately 50 days. |
| Hatchlings compete for food and commonly push one another out of the nest. | Hatchlings compete with one another for food and parental care during early development, and commonly push one another from the nest. |
| When food runs short, the smallest or weakest chick is sometimes killed by its siblings. | Siblicide often occurs when food is in short supply. In these cases, nestlings show aggression toward one another, and sometimes the smallest or weakest offspring are killed. |
| Animal Diversity Web gives a typical body length of 84 to 102 cm | Body length in grey herons typically ranges from 84 to 102 cm. (note: FAQ 1) |
| Mostly fish. Insects, crustaceans, frogs and small mammals are on the menu too, and it sometimes takes tiny birds. | their diet consists of insects (Class Insecta), crustaceans (Subphylum Crustacea), frogs (Class Amphibia) and small mammals. They sometimes even ingest tiny birds. (note: FAQ 3) |
| It usually stands still in the water and waits for prey to approach. | Usually these herons stand still and wait for prey to approach in the water. (note: FAQ 3) |
| Body length typically runs from 84 to 102 cm | Body length in grey herons typically ranges from 84 to 102 cm. |
| and the wingspan from 155 to 175 cm | with a wingspan of 155 to 175 cm |
| wingspan of 155 to 175 cm | with a wingspan of 155 to 175 cm (note: FAQ 1) |
| Where the water is deeper, the usual pose is on one leg, and the wait sometimes stretches on for a long time. | grey herons in deeper water typically stand still on one foot and wait, sometimes for extended periods of time |
| Their best hunting is thought to happen by moonlight. | They are thought to be most successful in capturing prey in the moonlight. |
| A grey heron usually hunts by doing almost nothing. | Usually these herons stand still and wait for prey to approach in the water. |
| When one does, the heron seizes it with its bill, and the catch generally goes down whole in one quick gulp. | They capture prey with their bills and generally swallow it whole, in one swift gulping action. |
| How often it succeeds is not clear, but injuries have been noted after the attempts. | While it is not clear how often grey herons succeed in feeding on rails, injuries have been noted after feeding attempts. |
| they need shallow water to fish in | Grey herons also require some type of shallow body of water, which they use as their primary forage sites. |
| A grey heron usually hunts by doing almost nothing, standing still until prey comes within striking range. | Hunting behaviors typically involve waiting for prey until they are within striking range. (note: vibe.reason) |

## BirdFacts: Grey Heron. British Trust for Ornithology.

https://www.bto.org/understanding-birds/birdfacts/grey-heron

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| BirdFacts, from the British Trust for Ornithology, gives a weight of 1.5 kg. | Key Stats Status Common Weight 1.5kg (note: BTO key stat, unqualified (not typical or maximum); preferred over ADW's 0.226 to 1.36 kg as the current institution page) |
| come together to nest in treetop colonies known as heronries. Some sites have stayed in use for many decades | Grey Herons gather to nest in treetop sites called heronries, some of which have been occupied for many decades. |
| the UK has monitored them since 1928 through the Heronries Census | These have been monitored in the UK since 1928 through the Heronries Census. |
| The UK breeding population is rated stable from 1929 to 2024 | Population Change Stable 1929 to 2024 |
| 11 thousand pairs in 2013 to 2017 | UK (breeding) 11 thousand pairs (2013–17) (note: year range 2013-17 in source; cached dash is mojibake) |
| typically lives 5 years | Typical life expectancy of bird reaching breeding age 5 years with breeding typically at 2 years |
| Just 0.26 of juveniles, about a quarter, survive to age 2. | Survival of juveniles All juveniles 0.26 (to age 2) (note: BTO survival is the proportion surviving, from ringing data) |
| The oldest ringed bird on BTO's record, set in 2003, reached 23 years, 9 months and 2 days. | Maximum age from a ringed bird 23 years, 9 months, 2 days (set in 2003) |
| BTO's ringing data put typical life expectancy at 5 years for a bird that reaches breeding age. | Typical life expectancy of bird reaching breeding age 5 years with breeding typically at 2 years (note: FAQ 2) |
| The oldest ringed bird on its record reached 23 years, 9 months and 2 days, a record set in 2003. | Maximum age from a ringed bird 23 years, 9 months, 2 days (set in 2003) (note: FAQ 2) |

## Ardea cinerea. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T22696993A166317370.

https://doi.org/10.2305/iucn.uk.2021-3.rlts.t22696993a166317370.en

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Least Concern | IUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC). (note: stats.conservationStatus) |