Grey Heron - Administrația Parcul Natural Văcărești

Grey Heron-Ardea cinerea

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Class: Aves
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Ardeidae
Genre: Ardea
Species: Ardea cinerea

Identification characters

The grey heron is the largest tit in Romania, with a body length of 96 cm, a weight of 1020 – 2073 g and a wingspan of 175 – 195 cm. Sexual dimorphism is low, with males being on average larger than females. The predominant plumage is grey with whitish throat and breast. The forehead and sides of the head are whitish, contrasting with black eyebrows that extend to the back of the head in long, elegant feathers. The beak is straight, strong, yellowish-grey with an orange tinge when nesting. The legs are yellowish-grey, and sometimes grey with no tinge of colour.

The genus name comes from the Latin word ardea, which means “arched”, and the specific epithet comes from the Latin word cinerea, which means greyish.s

Distribution

The genus name comes from the Latin word ardea, which means “arched”, and the specific epithet comes from the Latin word cinerea, which means greyish.

Living environment and biology of the species

The grey heron chooses a variety of habitats, such as freshwater habitats like lakes and various streams, where it also finds trees. It feeds on the shores of lakes, ponds, canals and flooded meadows. Most commonly nests in tree canopies. It is a migratory, partially migratory and dispersive species. Dispersal of juveniles occurs as soon as they become independent.

Food consists mainly of fish, amphibians, reptiles, aquatic invertebrates, but also small mammals or even baby birds. It waits motionless in shallow water and stalks its prey, which it then pierces with its sharp beak. It is active at sunrise and sunset. During the day and night they can be seen sitting on tree branches.

Tanning starts early in March if the weather is favourable. The courtship ritual is complicated. The two partners stretch their necks, beaks pointing skywards, cluck their beaks, make sounds and peck each other. The partners only stay together for one mating season. They nest in single or mixed colonies with other lizards. Nests are built in trees near water, but also on bushes or shallower trees, in reeds or sometimes on rocks. In rarer situations, it may nest on artificial structures or even on the ground. Previous years’ nests may be reused. At the end of March the female lays 3-5 eggs, which will be hatched by both parents in 25 to 26 days. The young are fed regurgitated fish by both parents. At 42-55 days after hatching the chicks become able to fly and leave the nest. They usually lay eggs only once a year and only if the tip is destroyed do they lay a second clutch.

Threats and conservation measures

Fântână Ciprian, Kovács Istvan, Benkő Zoltán, Daròczi Szilárd, Domșa Cristian, Veres-Szászka Judit (editors), 2022, Atlas of bird species of community interest in Romania, 2nd edition – Love birds, save nature!, Project financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Large Infrastructure Operational Programme 2014-2020, Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests – Biodiversity Directorate, scientific coordination Romanian Ornithological Society and Association for the Protection of Birds and Nature Milvus Group, produced by EXCLUS PROD SRL, p. p.106-107;

Conservation measures include enforcement of building restrictions in riparian areas, waste management in wetlands, protection of nesting and feeding sites, conservation of forests in the vicinity of aquatic habitats and riparian vegetation, measures to avoid drying and sudden artificial changes in water regime in wetlands. Forestry work to be carried out outside the breeding season. The use of selective and low-toxicity agrochemicals on neighbouring land is encouraged.

It is important to comply with hunting legislation and to monitor its application, through cooperation between environmental protection organisations, hunting organisations, the gendarmerie and the Environmental Guard against poaching.

It is recommended that research be carried out into the impact of the species on commercially exploited resources such as fish species, crustaceans and molluscs in order to match conservation objectives with the activities of the affected sectors.

Last but not least, studies on the inventory of breeding areas, both actual and potential, the identification of migration, feeding and aggregation areas important for the conservation of the species should be encouraged, as well as studies addressing various aspects of the biology of the species, including demographic parameters.

Bibliography

Fântână Ciprian, Kovács Istvan, Benkő Zoltán, Daròczi Szilárd, Domșa Cristian, Veres-Szászka Judit (editori), 2022, Atlas al speciilor de păsări de interes comunitar din România, ediția a II-a – Iubește păsările, salvează natura!, Proiect finanțat din Fondul European de Dezvoltare Regională prin Programul Operațional Infrastructură Mare 2014-2020, Ministerul Mediului, Apelor și Pădurilor- Direcția Biodiversitate, coordonare științifică Societatea Ornitologică Română și Asociația pentru Protecția Păsărilor și a Naturii Grupul Milvus, produs de EXCLUS PROD SRL, p. p.106-107;
Lars Svensson, Hakan Delin, 1988, Photographic guide to the birds of Britain and Europe, Herons, storks and ibises p. 32, Chancellor Press, London
Svensson (text and maps), 2017, Guide to bird identification. Europe and the Mediterranean area, translation and adaptation in Romanian: Romanian Ornithological Society, Emanuel Ștefan Baltag, Sebastian Bugariu, Alida Barbu, p.84;
Radu Dimitrie, 1983, Small Ornithological Atlas – Birds of the World, Albatros Publishing, Bucharest, p. 63-66;
https://pasaridinromania.sor.ro/ Ornitodata | Grey Heron (sor.ro)