Grey Heron

The Grey Heron is a familiar sight across Europe. It lives near almost any body of water, including garden ponds and city canals. It is a tall bird with grey plumage and a white head. A black 'eyebrow' ends in a long crest. It has a powerful yellow bill. Most herons stay in one location whole year round, but northern populations move south if feeding grounds freeze.

It often stands solitary and motionless like a statue at the water's edge. It can swallow large fish, voles, and even young waterbirds. In flight, it retracts its neck into a tight 'S' shape. It moves with slow, deliberate wingbeats. They are colonial nesters and build large stick nests high in trees.