Photo: Hans Hillewaert / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Goliath Heron
Ardea goliath
Goliath Heron (Ardea goliath) — Herons, Pelicans & Ibises of Africa.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Goliath Heron (Ardea goliath) is a member of the Ardeidae family found in Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 4.5 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Pelecaniformes
- Family Ardeidae Herons, Bitterns
- Genus Ardea
- Species goliath
Where it lives
Widespread in Africa south of the Sahara, Iran and Iraq to India
Quick facts
- Weight
- 4.5 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Ardeidae
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Goliath Heron hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Goliath Heron is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Goliath Heron (Ardea goliath) belongs to the Ardeidae family of the order Pelecaniformes. Its range spans Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers AF, PAL widespread in Africa s of the Sahara, Iran and Iraq to India.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 4.5 kg, with a wing length of about 57 cm and a tail of around 22.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 17.8 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Goliath Heron?
The Goliath Heron is a very large bird that weighs around 4.5 kg.
Where does the Goliath Heron live?
The Goliath Heron is found across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering AF, PAL widespread in Africa s of the Sahara, Iran and Iraq to India, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Goliath Heron belong to?
The Goliath Heron (Ardea goliath) belongs to the Ardeidae family, in the order Pelecaniformes.
What does the Goliath Heron eat?
The Goliath Heron hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Goliath Heron migrate?
The Goliath Heron is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Goliath Heron endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Goliath Heron make?
1 real field recording of the Goliath Heron — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Goliath Heron's range?
The Goliath Heron has a mapped global range of about 17.8 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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