Photo: Vassilios Vescoukis / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Grey Heron
Ardea cinerea
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) — Herons, Pelicans & Ibises of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 15 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) is a member of the Ardeidae family found in Africa, Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 1.4 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 cinerea
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.4 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Ardeidae
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Grey Heron hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Grey Heron is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) belongs to the Ardeidae family of the order Pelecaniformes. Its range spans Africa, Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, AF, OR widespread.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.4 kg, with a wing length of about 44.1 cm and a tail of around 16.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 46.4 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Grey Heron?
The Grey Heron is a very large bird that weighs around 1.4 kg.
Where does the Grey Heron live?
The Grey Heron is found across Africa, Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering PAL, AF, OR widespread, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Grey Heron belong to?
The Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) belongs to the Ardeidae family, in the order Pelecaniformes.
What does the Grey Heron eat?
The Grey Heron hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Grey Heron migrate?
The Grey Heron is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Grey 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 Grey Heron make?
1 real field recording of the Grey 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 Grey Heron's range?
The Grey Heron has a mapped global range of about 46.4 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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