Grey Heron

The Grey Heron is a large, slender waterbird with grey upper plumage and whitish-grey underparts. Adults have a white head and neck with black eyebrow stripes extending into a crest on the back. They have black spots on the shoulders and flanks, a yellowish-pink bill that becomes more intense in the breeding season, and elongated scapular and neck feathers. They have yellow-irised eyes and long brownish legs. The neck, usually retracted in an “S” shape, and arched wings complete their distinctive silhouette.

Herons swallow small fish whole but kill larger prey, such as eels and birds, by hitting them on the ground or piercing them with their beaks. They also regurgitate pellets containing indigestible materials, such as bones, hair and the remains of insect exoskeletons.