Where the gray heron winters. Gray heron. Lifestyle and habitat of the gray heron. Lifestyle and social organization

gray heron, or chaplya, or tsapura, or chepuror, or Bushel(outdated) - Ardea cinerea


Appearance. Gray large bird (up to 90 cm in height) with a white belly and neck. The neck is S-curved in flight.
A short, piercing, creaky cry - “grak” and a sharp “crryank”.
Habitat. Prefers shallow waters on the plains.
Food. It gets its food (fish, frogs) on the go or standing, quickly grabbing it with its beak.
Nesting places. It breeds in places where, along with forest plantations, there are vast open areas and forage reservoirs in the form of lakes, rivers, ponds, reservoirs, usually in colonies numbering from several nests to hundreds, however, it can also nest in separate pairs.
Nest location. The nest is located on large trees, at a considerable height (16-26 m or more from the ground).
Nest building material. The nest is made of thin dry wood twigs and branches.
The shape and size of the nest. A newly built nest, like that of other herons, has the shape of an inverted cone, with translucent walls through which eggs are clearly visible. In large colonies, nests are usually carelessly built, and may be comparatively small and with a flat tray. Single nests, on the other hand, are better built. The nest can be used for several years and renewed annually. Such a building is, as it were, on a foundation and reaches more than a meter in diameter. The sizes of the nests are very different: the diameter of a freshly built nest is 500-1100 mm (heavily trampled by chicks), the height of the nest is 600 mm. Later it becomes flattened and low.
Masonry features. Clutch of 3-7, more often 4-5 eggs of greenish-blue color, without speckles, often with white calcareous smears. The shape of the eggs is either regular ovoid or equally pointed at both ends. Egg sizes: (55-60) x (41-46) mm.
Nesting times. Arrival starts from the second half of March and lasts until mid-May. Soon after arrival, the birds start nest building. In May, eggs are laid. Incubation begins after the laying of the first egg and lasts 26-27 days. In mid-July, flying chicks appear. However, the timing of reproduction in different pairs, even in the same colony, can vary greatly (by 30-40 and even 60 days). After departure, young birds continue to stay in families for some time. Before departure, which takes place in September, gray herons roam widely.
Spreading. It is distributed in essence throughout Russia - in the European part and in Western Siberia, penetrating north to 60 ° north latitude, and further east even to 63 ° (Yakutia). Outside the country, it breeds in Western Europe, India and almost throughout Africa. It is also found in Japan and China.
Wintering. Most birds fly away to winter in the Mediterranean.
Economic value. In the Middle Ages, the gray heron was considered the most interesting game for falconry, so heron colonies were of great value. There were cases when feudal lords got involved in an armed conflict over a piece of land on which a heron colony was located.

Description of Buturlin . The gray heron is better known than our other herons primarily due to its extremely wide distribution.
This is the most large of all our herons, having a total length of up to 105-115 centimeters and a wing up to 48 centimeters long; long and sharp beak reaches 13.5 centimeters. A large old heron weighs up to 2 kilograms. This figure will seem reduced to anyone who sees a heron in the wild, since the bird looks very large from afar. This is explained by the fact that the heron has a very loose plumage, which creates a deceptive impression of the size of the bird; the body itself is small and feeble. Plumage the head is white above in the middle, wide black stripes are on the sides; an elongated crest on the head, while the flight feathers and part of the coverts, the very end of the tail, spots along the underside of the neck and wide stripes on the sides of the body are black. The underside of the neck and the middle of the entire underside of the body are white. The rest of the plumage has a gray color of a very soft ash tone that is very pleasing to the eye. The feathers of the lower part of the neck are elongated and pointed and hang down in plaits. The beak is yellow, the legs are reddish-brown; the iris of the eye is yellow and stands out sharply, which is why the look of the bird seems somewhat strange, as if wild.
gray heron widespread very widely, but is not found everywhere and strictly adheres to places abounding in water. It requires the presence, if possible, of extensive swamps, rivers with a wide floodplain, lakes and thickets of reeds. The greater the number of reservoirs, the more extensive and richer they are with thickets of reeds, reeds, rushes and other aquatic plants, and the less places are inhabited by humans, the more often the heron is found. She is very willing to stay in the deltas of large rivers with their impenetrable reed beds. However, there are no numerous gray herons anywhere.
Giving explicit preference remote places, the gray heron, at the same time, thanks to its exceptional caution, gets along in densely populated areas, being content with relatively small ponds, swamps and even wet meadows. She, although now rare, can also be found in the immediate vicinity of Moscow.
The heron's attachment to water is due mainly to the nature of its food. The main food of the heron is the most diverse small fish, as well as frogs. On occasion, she takes the opportunity to catch a newt, a small snake (snakes usually stay near the water), a mouse or a chick, or peck at the eggs of a water bird.
Heron on his own habits the bird is silent and unsociable and usually leads a secretive, solitary lifestyle. She always hunts alone, and if several birds gather at once on any reservoir, they usually stay far from each other. This also applies to married couples, and only broods form closer groups, and then only until the chicks become completely independent.
For feeding, the heron usually flies out at dusk, feeds all night and sometimes lingers for a long time in the morning. In areas where there are not very many people, the bird can often be seen during the day; in crowded places, on the contrary, she leads strictly night image life. Sometimes people are not even aware of the presence of a heron, and only a hoarse croaking cry heard at night above, and a characteristic track on the mud, indicate to an observant person the presence of a bird. During the period of feeding the chicks, this measured way of life is disturbed and the herons are forced to hunt more in the daytime.
First herons arrive very early in the spring. There is still a bed all around, and only in some places there are thawed patches; the lakes are still under ice or are just beginning to open up off the coast, there are noticeable frosts at night, and the herons have already appeared.
Herons usually fly alone, at night, relatively low above the ground, and at this time their characteristic cry is often heard in the night sky. Later, during the total migration, at the very height of the spring movement, migratory herons can sometimes be found during the day, and even in small groups, up to 10 pieces.
Soon after arrival, the birds break into pairs and proceed to their nesting affairs. This side of the life of the gray heron is a lot of curiosity, as an intelligent bird can adapt to the most diverse environments.
In the north, herons usually nest in separate pairs and hide their nest, but to the south, and even at the latitude of Moscow, they sometimes form quite extensive colonial nests.
In forest areas, the heron builds nests on large trees, at a height of 15-30 meters. In the Volga delta, these birds sometimes nest on low willows and reeds.
Nest heron is a fairly large structure and has a flat shape. Thick branches lie at its base, thin branches are laid closer to the tray. The tray itself is lined with moss or other soft materials; but often there is no lining, and the eggs are laid directly on the rods. Old nests, which have been used for a number of years, from constant add-ons and additions, year by year, all increase and have larger dimensions, are more massive and take the shape of a cone. Nests can be found in large colonies different type and, moreover, empty and dilapidated.
Such colonies and individual nests are not always located in close proximity to water. In choosing a place for a nest, a cautious bird cares mainly about the safety of its offspring and therefore is sometimes forced to carry food to chicks several kilometers away.
In the reeds, each nest is a heap of reeds, folded rather carelessly and roughly. The height of such a pile, which is round or polygonal in shape, can reach up to 150 centimeters, with a diameter at the top of about 50-60 centimeters and with a recessed tray devoid of lining. Heron nests are usually located at a distance of several steps from each other. Among such a colony, night herons and some other species of water birds readily nest.
Heron eggs are greenish-blue in color, they are elongated, with a smooth shell. Their length is about 58-60 millimeters, width 40-44 millimeters.
chicks they are very voracious and require a lot of food, which adults drag them with great diligence. The young, according to some observers, recognize their parents well: if a heron flying towards the colony is shown, then it is her chicks who begin to scream the loudest. They grow quite quickly and soon begin to learn how to use their wings.
fly off herons are usually also alone, only occasionally forming scattered small flocks in which birds fly in disorder, far from one another and only occasionally calling to each other. Sometimes gray herons join flocks of night herons upon arrival. The arrival takes place at night, and at dawn the birds usually stop for the day. Herons relatively rarely fly during the day and in these cases line up in an oblique line. Such herds usually consist of no more than a dozen birds.

On our website you can read ornithology guide: bird anatomy and morphology , bird nutrition , bird breeding , bird migrations and bird diversity .

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computer(electronic) guide to birds of central Russia, containing descriptions and images of 212 bird species (bird drawings, silhouettes, nests, eggs and voices), as well as computer program identification of birds encountered in nature,
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"Field guide to birds" with descriptions and images (drawings) of 307 species of birds in central Russia,
colored key tables "


2. SUBORDER: Herons (Ardeae)

The heron suborder (Ardeae) is divided into the family real herons(Ardeidae) and family hammerhead herons(Scopidae).

Family herons(Ardeidae) is very numerous and consists of 100 species. All herons have a thin body, strongly compressed from the sides; their neck is thin and long; the head is small, narrow and flat; the beak is slightly longer than the head, it is laterally compressed, narrow along the ridge and keel; the edges of the jaws are retracted and very sharp; the beak is notched near the apex. Legs of medium height, paws with long toes. The wings are long and wide, but blunt at the ends; the tail, consisting of 10 or 12 tail feathers, is short and rounded. The plumage is plentiful, soft, loose, and on the crown, on the back and on the upper chest, it is often elongated and fluffy. Males and females differ from each other in different body sizes.

Herons inhabit all parts of the world, all latitudes and all countries, with the exception of the countries of the far north. Different kinds keep in various areas - near the sea, near rivers and swamps, as well as in open areas and in forest thickets. These birds are quite mobile, but clumsy. Their gait is calm, slow and cautious; their flight is monotonous and sluggish, but more beautiful than that of other stork birds; they do not stretch the neck, but beautifully bend it over the back. Herons quickly climb in the reeds and in the branches of trees; they can swim, but when swimming they are very funny. The cry of herons is a loud, unpleasant and far-reaching roar. Of the external senses, herons have the most developed vision. They are afraid of larger animals, but they show bloodthirstiness towards small ones and pursue them.

Large herons feed on fish, and small ones on insects; however, on occasion, they do not "neglect any animals, as long as the prey is within their power. They devour small mammals, young helpless birds, various amphibians (except toads), molluscs, worms and, apparently, crayfish. Prey they track, silently walking on the water and pulling his neck in; noticing the prey, the herons stretch their necks with lightning speed, and the beak, like a thrown spear, plunges into the victim. In the same way, the heron defends itself; even to a person it is dangerous: usually, cowardly running away, in a hopeless situation, it pecks furiously aiming at the eyes.

Herons live in pairs. During the mating season, they arrange special flights corresponding to the mating of other birds; during these flights they rush very quickly in the air, making zigzags and somersaults like tumblers. They arrange nests in communities in trees or in reeds on broken stems. The female builds a nest, and the male drags branches and branches for construction, and carries them in his beak not across, but along. The clutch consists of blue-green eggs from 3 to 6 pieces. Only the female incubates, and the male brings her food. Parents after the departure of the chicks feed them for some more time, and then abandon them.

gray heron(Ardea cinerea) also has the following names - gray chepura and bushla; she is the most famous member of the genus diurnal herons(Ardea) from the family of true herons. The plumage of these herons on the head and on the forehead is white, on the neck it is grayish-white, on the back it is ash-gray with white stripes, on the sides of the underside of the body it is black; the stripes starting above the eyes and going to the back of the neck are black; three long tufted feathers on the head, a triple row of spots on the front of the neck and large flight feathers are also black; the flight feathers of the shoulder and tail feathers are grey. The eyes are golden yellow; bare spots on face green-yellow; the beak is straw-yellow; legs brownish black. The length of the bird is 1 meter and 1 meter 6 centimeters, the wingspan is 1 meter 70 centimeters and 1 meter 80 centimeters.

The gray heron is found in almost all countries of the Old World from the Atlantic Ocean to Korea and Japan inclusive; in the south it is found as far as southern Africa and Madagascar, as well as southern Asia; sometimes these herons also fly to the New World: in the north to southern Greenland, and in the south to Australia. In the north this bird is migratory, in the south it is nomadic.

In Western Europe and within the USSR, the gray heron appears in the month of March or early April, nests in trees, as well as in reeds and reeds. Nests are built from twigs and branches. The clutch consists of 5 or 6 green eggs with a strong and smooth shell. Three weeks after hatching, disgusting, as we mentioned above, chicks hatch, continuously squeaking for food. Nests and nesting surroundings, trees and ground, turn white from the droppings of these birds, which, together with the rotting remains of fish, infect the air with an unbearable stench. After the departure of the chicks, these stinking heron colonies are empty, and in September or early October, gray herons leave our country and slowly move to the extreme south of Europe, and then fly to Africa.

Herons' enemies are crows and crows that rob their nests; old herons are attacked by falcons, great owls and some eagles. Gray herons tolerate captivity well, they are easy to feed on fish, frogs and mice, but they cannot be kept with poultry, as they catch and swallow ducklings and chickens; they manage to catch even sparrows.

A close relative of the gray heron is red heron(Ardea purpurea), also called red chepura or clay chepura. The upper part of the head and the crest of this heron, as well as the stripes running from the beak to the back of the head, and the stripes on both sides of the neck, are black; the sides of the head and neck, hanging shoulder feathers and lower legs are red-brown; chin and throat are white; hanging down feathers of the front side of the neck are grayish-white with a pink bloom and with black trunks; back of neck and nape ash grey; the rest of the upper parts of the body are dark gray-brown in color with a greenish sheen; wing coverts are lighter; flanks of chest, belly and lower legs are dark purple-reddish-brown; the rest of the underside of the plumage is black; flight feathers are black; wing coverts and underwing coverts rusty brown; tail feathers greyish-brown. The eyes are orange-yellow; beak greenish yellow-wax color; legs are reddish-yellow, metatarsus and paws are blackish-brown. The length of the bird is on average 90 centimeters, the wingspan is 1 meter 30 centimeters.

The distribution area covers all of western Europe, most of central and southern Asia and Africa. Within the USSR, this heron is a nesting bird around the Black and Caspian Seas and Central Asian lakes. In the south of the USSR, red herons or chepurs nest from the Black Sea to the Kyiv and Kharkov provinces, inclusive. The way of life is the same as that of the gray heron.

It is a very beautiful bird white heron or chepura(Herodias alba). Its plumage is a dazzling pure white; yellow eyes; beak dark yellow; the bare skin of the cheeks is greenish-yellow; legs are dark grey. Length - 1 meter 4 centimeters, wingspan - 1 meter 90 centimeters.

This beautiful heron lives in the USSR in the same place as the red heron, but is especially found in large numbers near the lower reaches of the Volga and along the shores of the Caspian Sea. In Western Europe, white herons nest in the Danube lowlands, but there are especially many of them in Greece, Italy and Spain; they are found in large numbers in Africa.

Egrets are more cautious than their relatives and stay as far away from human settlements as possible. White herons show less malice and bloodthirstiness than gray and red; in captivity, they are easily tamed and attached to the caregiver. In zoological gardens good conditions multiply and produce a strong and healthy generation. These beautiful birds in many places they are rapaciously exterminated, which is why in the USSR they are under the protection of the law.

Chepura-need or little egret(Garzetta garzetta) also has a pure white plumage, and during breeding, the male grows two long feathers on the crown; She has long, hairy feathers on her chest and back. The eyes are bright yellow; the beak is black; legs are black with green-yellow joints. Length - 62 centimeters, wingspan - 1 meter 10 centimeters.

Chepura-need is more common and is more common bird than the white heron. Its area of ​​​​distribution extends further to the east than that of the great egret, namely to Japan, Formosa and the Philippine Islands. Within the USSR, it is found in the same place as the great egret, but this bird is especially abundant in the lowlands of the Volga. In Western Europe, chepura-need is found especially in large numbers in the lowlands of the Danube, and in Africa, in the lowlands of the Nile.

The way of life is the same as that of other herons. Its food consists mainly of small fish. Clutch of 4 or 5 light greenish eggs occurs in May and June.

As if a transitional link between day and night is a rather elegant yellow heron or chepura(Ardeola ralloides or comata), also known as shaggy chepura. Its distinguishing features are as follows. A relatively thick beak and a mane-like crest, which, starting at the crown, continues to the neck. The feathers that form the crest are rusty-yellowish-white with black-brown borders; flanks of head and neck light rusty yellow; hairy shoulder feathers are tawny; all other parts of the plumage are white. The eyes are light yellow; the beak is black on the ridge and on top; legs are greenish-yellow. The length of the bird reaches 50 centimeters, the wingspan is 80 centimeters.

The yellow heron is distributed throughout the south of Western Europe and throughout Africa. In the USSR, it is found off the coast of the Caspian Sea, especially at the mouth of the Volga and in the Caucasus. These herons feed on small fish, young frogs and aquatic insects. Its clutch consists of 4 or 5 green eggs. Hatching and feeding occurs in the same way as in other herons.

Genus little herons or have a drink(Ardetta) has the following characteristics: a small bird size; thin beak; short metatarsus, feathered to the heel joint; relatively long wings; a short, poorly developed tail and not particularly rich plumage.

Of this genus we meet bittern or bully(Ardetta minuta), also known by the names: heron-top and chepura-stick. The plumage of this heron on the head, neck, back and shoulders is a brilliant black-greenish color; on the upper side of the wings and on the underside of the body it is rusty yellow; on the sides of the body and on the chest - in black spots; flight and tail feathers are black. The eyes are yellow; the beak is pale yellow, brown along the ridge; legs are green-yellow. The length of the bird reaches 40 centimeters, the wingspan is 57 centimeters.

The little heron or bittern is found throughout Europe and western Asia, south of 60 degrees north latitude and west of 80 degrees east longitude, as a breeding or migrant bird. It winters in Africa. Here, in the USSR, small ones are drunk in the European parts of the Union from the Black Sea to Novgorod. provinces, including in Western Siberia. This bittern keeps in swampy areas overgrown with shrubs, reeds and reeds. During the day, a small bittern sits in the reeds or on a tree branch so imperceptibly and motionless that an ignorant person, even seeing it, will not think that it is a bird, but will take it for a bough, a tussock, and the like. This adaptability to the environment and various artificial postures in which the bittern can remain motionless for a very long time perfectly camouflage the bird. This bittern runs fast; flies quickly and dexterously, and also excellently and quickly climbs the stalks of reeds, causing amazement with its agility. From the reeds, where it is almost impossible to find it, but it is impossible to drive it out, it flies out only at night for hunting. She catches small fish, small amphibians, worms and insects. The greatest revival of her hunting reaches during the evening and morning twilight.

Males usually call during the breeding season, making a dull bass sound that sounds like the syllable "pumb" and resembles the thick croaking of toads. The nests of these herons or bitterns are built from dry reeds, reed leaves and rushes and are lined with rushes and grass; usually they are built on a heap of reeds or on broken reed stalks, less often directly on the ground and even more rarely on the water.

Usually at the beginning of June laying begins, which consists of 5 or 6 white eggs with a bluish-green tint. The chicks are covered with rusty-yellow fluff and, even before leaving the nest, in case of danger, climb the reed stalks, hiding well in it.

A small bittern or a bugaychik endures captivity well, but never becomes gullible.

bittern or bull(Botaurus stellaris) is also known under the names: gukolnitsa, bukhalitsa, booze and water bull. This bird is heavily built; her neck is thick and long; the beak is narrow and high; legs are feathered to the heel and have long toes; wide wings; tail of ten tail feathers; the plumage is dense with elongated feathers on the neck. The top of her head is black; the back of the neck is colored yellow and black; the rest of the plumage is rusty-yellow with black-brown and rusty-brown longitudinal and transverse spots, bands and lines forming three longitudinal stripes on the front side of the neck. Flight feathers are slate-colored with rusty bands; tail feathers are reddish, rusty-yellow in small brown-black mottling. The eyes are bright yellow; the upper flap of the beak is brownish horn-colored, the lower one is greenish; legs light juicy green, yellowish at the joints. The length of the bird is 72 centimeters, the wingspan is 1 meter 26 centimeters.

This bittern is found in western Europe, especially in Holland and in the lowlands of the Danube: in Asia it is found everywhere as far as Japan and western India. Here, in the USSR, the bittern is a common bird in the lowlands of the Volga and in the southern and central European provinces, as well as in Central Asia and Siberia. For the winter, from some countries, a large bittern or bull flies to northern Africa.

In our countries, a bull or a big bittern appears at the end of March or at the beginning of April; flies south in September or October, but stays longer in prolonged warm weather.

By its peculiar ability to take various postures, the great bittern surpasses the abilities of the little bittern. To deceive the enemy pursuing her, this bittern crouches on its heels and stretches its torso, neck, head and beak up in one line, slightly beveled to the side, and becomes more like an old pointed stake or a dead bunch of reeds (see the figure, where in two bitterns in such poses) than on any bird. In addition to this protective posture, the bittern takes others, depending on the circumstances and conditions of the area, but always so successfully that it disappears before the eyes of the hunter, as if under a fabulous invisibility cap. The gait of the great bittern is slow, cautious and lethargic; the flight is soft, silent, slow and awkward in appearance. Rising up, the bittern describes several circles, but always flaps its wings and never soars; in the same way she descends to the very tops of the reeds, then suddenly folds her wings and falls like a stone into the reeds. Her cry is similar to croaking, and only during the breeding season, the male, lowering his beak into the water, emits a very loud lowing, which is heard at night for two kilometers and makes an eerie impression, resembling the deaf roar of a bull; this roar explains the name of the bittern-water bull.

Great bitterns build nests in the same way as small ones, on bent reeds, on an island of reeds, and less often right on the water. Clutch occurs in May and consists of 3-5 sometimes 6 dull olive-brown eggs. Hatching lasts three weeks. In the nest, the chicks remain until they learn to fly, but if they are in danger, they get out of the nest earlier and escape by climbing up and down the reeds.

In Greece, and in the south of Europe in general, the bittern is persecuted because of its meat, which is eaten very willingly there, despite the taste of blubber.

night heron, night heron or kwak(Nycticorax nycticorax) differs from other herons in its dense build, short, thick beak, very wide at the base and curved along the ridge, strong medium-sized legs, very wide flight feathers and rich plumage; on the back of her head, she has three thread-like decorating feathers.

The plumage is colored as follows: the top of the head, neck, upper part and shoulders are greenish-black; the rest of the upper side of the body and the sides of the neck are ash-gray; the underside of the body is a pale straw yellow; three long white feathers. The eyes are a magnificent purplish red; the beak is black, yellow at the base; the bare spot on the head is green; legs are green-yellow. The length of the bird is 50 centimeters, the wingspan is 1 meter 8 centimeters.

The night heron is widespread. It is found in Western Europe, especially in the lowlands of the Danube and in Holland, as well as in Palestine, Central Asia, China, Japan, India and the Sunda Islands; It is found in most of America and wanders throughout Africa in winter. Within the USSR, the night heron or night heron breeds in the southern European provinces, especially along the shores of the Black and Caspian Seas, where it is found in large numbers, as well as in the Aral-Caspian plain and southwestern Siberia. The night herons always stay in the lowlands, rich in water, where there are certainly trees, for these herons rest and make their nests in the trees. Sometimes roosts and nests in trees are very far from the place of hunting, but this does not interfere with night herons, as they easily make long flights. All day these birds sleep and only with the onset of full twilight they begin to roam and hunt.

The night herons walk with small steps; when flying, they make frequent, completely silent flapping of their wings. They fly at night in disorderly flocks and hunt in swamps. They catch fish in the same way as diurnal herons. Their cry is similar to the cawing of ravens, which gave rise to the name of this heron, the night raven, as it is called in Germany.

Clutch occurs in May, June and July and consists of 4 or 5 pale bluish-green eggs. Interestingly, during the hatching of chicks, the night heron flies out to fish not only at night, but also during the day, which is forced by the cry of terribly voracious chicks.

These herons tolerate captivity well, but they are not of particular interest in zoological gardens, since they sleep all day.

In the second family of herons known as hammerheads(Scopidae), is as the only representative of a special genus (Scopus) hammerhead or shadow bird(Scopus umbretta); the last name given to this hammerhead heron is for its dark coloration.

The hammer head or shadow birds have a dense valky body; their head is comparatively large; the beak is long, strongly laterally compressed, straight; legs of medium length, the membrane connecting the fingers is deeply cut; wings very broad and rounded; tail of 12 tail feathers; dense plumage; on the back of the head is a large crest.

The coloration of these birds is everywhere almost uniformly brown, with an umber shade; slightly lighter on the underside of the body; flight feathers darker than back feathers; tail feathers with wide purple-brown stripes at the ends and narrow irregular stripes at the bases. The eyes are dark brown; the beak is black; legs are black-brown or black. The length of the bird reaches 56 centimeters, the wingspan is 1 meter 4 centimeters. Male and female by appearance are exactly the same.

These birds are found in all areas of Africa, Madagascar and southern Arabia. Usually the shadow bird retracts its neck so that its crest is pressed against its back; this gives the impression that the head is attached directly to the shoulders. In a calm state, shadow birds lower and raise their crest, but more often they stand motionless for several minutes in one place. The gait of these birds is light and graceful, the flight is similar to the flight of a stork. Although the shadow birds are diurnal, they show the greatest animation and activity during the evening and morning twilight.

Shadow birds feed on fish, mollusks, crustaceans, frogs, small snakes, as well as worms and insect larvae. Shadow birds live alone, joining in pairs only during the mating season.

The most interesting thing about this bird is its huge nest, representing, so to speak, an entire apartment with all amenities. Hammerhead herons build nests for the most part on the very forks of trunks or branches of mimosas, not high above the ground; but nests are also found on high bushes and on steep high rocks.

These nests are built very skillfully from twigs, grass, reeds and clay; the strength of their construction is such that the nest can withstand the weight of an adult standing on it. This domed building is up to 2 meters in diameter and the same in height. The inlet to the nest is round and leads to the first room of the nest, called the "front"; the "anteroom" is followed by the "living room" and after it the third and last room, the "bedroom". The back room lies higher than the two front rooms, so that the water that has entered there can flow freely from it; however, the nest is so well built that even strong tropical showers do not spoil it, and if damage occurs, the birds immediately repair their home.

The “bedroom” in this bird house is the most spacious room and the chicks are hatched in it, which is done by both parents in turn. The clutch consists of 3 or 5 white eggs, which lie on a soft bed of reeds and other plants. The middle room of the nest - "living room" - serves as a warehouse for all kinds of prey prepared for future use. In the "anteroom" one of the spouses is usually on duty and immediately gives a signal to escape in case of any danger.

Appearance and behavior. Large heron, body length 90–98 cm, weight 1.1–2.3 kg, wingspan 175–195 cm. The color is generally gray, sometimes very light individuals are found. In adult birds during the mating season, a thin crest is on the head, elongated feathers are visible at the bottom of the neck. A sedentary bird, able to stand for hours in shallow water or at the edge of reed beds, practically without changing its posture. Sometimes it is found in dry places, where it behaves in the same way. Often sits on trees, especially likes individual protruding dry branches. In danger, it flies away, rises from the ground easily, without a run, even from dense thickets. The flight is light and unhurried; during the flight in a group, gray herons often line up in a line or wedge. Active around the clock.

Description. The main color tone is ash-gray, the flight and tail feathers are almost black, on the underside of the neck there are longitudinal dark streaks, the belly is white, the sides of the body are black, in a standing bird a black-and-white spot stands out on the wing fold. In adult birds, the head is almost white, only a black “bandage” stretches from the eye to the back of the head, turning into a thin hanging braid. Young birds are less contrasting, their head is grayish, with a black “cap”. The legs are greenish-gray, the beak of adult birds is yellow, in the mating season it is pinkish, the eyes are yellow. In young birds, the beak is two-colored - the mandible is black, the mandible is yellow. The down of the chicks is light gray. The flying gray herons are well distinguished from the red herons by the contrasting coloration of the wings (light gray and black) and longer legs.

Distribution, status. The breeding range covers a significant part of Eurasia and Africa. In European Russia, the most widespread heron, found from Karelia in the north to the Black Sea coast in the south. Migratory bird in the middle lane, sometimes hibernates in the south, in recent years there have been winter sightings near Moscow. It is common, although not numerous, in the south in many places it is inferior in number to other types of herons - for example, or. In spring it arrives very early, the first birds near the colonies can be seen even when there is snow all around and water bodies are covered with ice. Flies away late, some birds linger almost until freezing.

Lifestyle. Settles on various reservoirs, usually nests in colonies - mainly on trees, as well as in flooded bushes or reed beds. Colonies can be located in the forest at a distance of up to several kilometers from the reservoir. Colonies vary in size, with several hundred pairs nesting together in the south of the region. Nests, like those of other herons, are shaped like an inverted cone with translucent walls through which eggs are clearly visible. When nesting in trees and shrubs, the main building material thin dry rods and branches serve. Nests are extremely light, so thin tree branches and reed stalks support them.

Pairs form for life. The clutch contains 3-5 greenish-blue eggs the size of a chicken or slightly larger. The clutch is incubated mainly by the female. Newborn chicks are completely helpless, but sighted. Adult birds feed them by regurgitating semi-digested food. Chicks rise to their feet about 2 weeks after hatching. In a strong wind, the grown chicks often fall out of the nests located on the trees. In this case, they are almost certainly doomed to death, since the parents do not feed the chicks outside the nest, and they are not able to return there on their own, not being able to fly.

Upon meeting this unusual bird, each person admires her external features and behavior. Clearly seen in many photo, gray heron differs from others and is a separate species of interest to study Ardea cinerea, which translates as "ashy heron".

Habitat and features of the gray heron

gray heron belongs to the order of storks, genus. It is also related to other similar birds - blue herons and white herons. The distribution area is wide, it inhabits part of Europe, the island and India, Asia (Japan and China).

In some areas gray heron colonies widespread, while others are inhabited only by individual representatives. In places with an unfavorable climate, like Europe, with low temperatures, herons do not linger, staying in these areas to rest during the flight.

Reproduction and life span of the gray heron

At the age of 2 years in males and 1 year in females, they are ready to breed. Some species are monogamous, mating for life, some are polygamous, finding a new mate every season.

The male starts building the nest first, after which, during a break from work, he calls the female with loud cries, but as soon as she arrives at the nest, he drives her away, and so, the nest will not be almost ready. After mating occurs, the male and the fertilized female complete the nesting site together.

The number of eggs can vary from 3 to 9 in one clutch. The color of the shell is greenish or bluish, the size is up to 60 mm. Both parents incubate the eggs, but the female stays longer in the nest. After 27 days, chicks hatch, which have vision, but are completely helpless and devoid of plumage.

Parents feed their chicks three times a day by regurgitating food into their mouths. Mortality among newly hatched herons is high. Not all chicks manage to get enough food to grow and some starve to death.

Pictured is a gray heron chick in the nest

Stronger individuals kill and throw weak ones out of the nest in order to get more food. Parents can also leave the chicks alone to be torn to pieces by predators if they see danger, saving their lives.

On the 7th or 9th day, the chicks have a feather cover, and on the 90th day, the chicks can be considered adults and mature, after which they leave the nest of their parents. How long does a gray heron live? The life span of a bird is short, only 5 years.

The heron population does not cause concern among scientists. She lives on many continents and actively replenishes the population, which already has more than 4 million. According to Red book, gray heron is not threatened, it is not a valuable object for hunting, although the shooting of birds is officially allowed all year round.

"The heron is important, big-nosed, stands like a statue all day long." The nursery rhyme brings a smile, and the imagination draws a large bird with a long beak, very long thin legs and a long neck, curved in the letter S. These birds are known for their attachment to shallow waters, where standing on one leg they can track fish for hours.

Herons belong to the order of storks (ankles) and the heron family. True herons form a genus of the same name, which includes 14 species of birds, similar in structure and lifestyle, but differing in size and plumage color.


Because of the clumsy mincing gait in Russia, the heron was called "chaple" or "chepura". Similar bird names can be traced in all Slavic languages, because they come from the common word "chapat".

What does a heron look like

it large birds height from 80 - 100 cm and above. The average weight of a heron is about 1.5 - 2 kg, males are slightly heavier than females and no other external sexual differences were found in the genus of birds.

The body of the heron is elongated, dense and massive. Looking at the photo of a heron, her long neck catches the eye - a unique and distinctive part of the body of these birds. If the rest of the storks in flight stretch their necks far forward, then the heron, on the contrary, folds its neck in such a way that its nape lies on its back.

The legs of herons are long and thin, ending in 4 fingers: 3 are directed forward, one back. A particularly long serrated claw grows on the claw of the middle finger, which plays important role in hygiene procedures. From the broken tips of feathers on the body of birds, so-called powders are formed - a kind of powder that birds need to lubricate feathers so that they do not stick together from the mucus of the fish they eat. This is where the long claw helps, with which the heron "powders" its plumage.

The long rounded wings of herons with a span of about 2 m are well adapted for long flights. Herons take off in an interesting way: at first, the bird makes frequent flaps and breaks away from the surface, but its legs do not tighten and for some time they hang freely in the air. In a heron that has gained altitude, the flight is slow and calm, and its long legs are extended into a string and set far behind the body.

The narrow, long beak of the heron is an excellent tool for obtaining food, with which birds easily pierce fish and kill rodents the size of a young rabbit. The beak of the heron has a slightly flattened shape from the sides and grows up to 13 - 15 cm. The color of the beak is from pale yellow to dark brown.

The plumage of herons is dense and loose and does not differ in a variety of colors. The prevailing colors are gray, white and black, only the main plumage of the red heron is chestnut-brown. In many species, the back of the head is decorated with a crest of long feathers.


The gray heron is ready to take to the blue sky in a moment.

Range and lifestyle

Herons are distributed throughout the world. The inhabitants of the northern regions are migratory birds wintering in the south. Some of them remain for the winter in their nesting sites, provided that water bodies are not frozen.

Most herons live near freshwater lakes; individual colonies are found near brackish waters and seas. The main thing for birds is shallow water, where they can get fish and tall trees for nesting. Herons do not live only in dense forests, deserts and highlands.

Sometimes herons can be found in settlements located near reservoirs, as well as within the city.

These birds do not adhere to a certain time of sleep and wakefulness, they can be active day and night, although they prefer to hunt at dawn and dusk. Most of the time, herons forage for food, but they do not feed so much as they track down prey, standing in the water with their legs tucked in.


Gray heron with a caught fish.

What do herons eat

Each heron practices its own method of obtaining food. Some patiently stand on one foot in the thickets of reeds, others wander along the coast with their necks folded, churning the water with their long legs. Some spread their wings, shading a patch of water and looking at what is happening under their feet.

As soon as the prey comes into view, the heron straightens its neck with lightning speed and grabs the prey across the body. Then deftly throws along the beak and swallows whole, head first. The heron tears large food into pieces, hammers with its beak and breaks bones.

Mollusks, crustaceans, amphibians and large insects are always present in the diet of herons. Birds do not disdain small animals and willingly eat water rats, mice and moles. On occasion, they steal prey from bitterns, cormorants and gulls, but they themselves become victims of the robbery of other birds, for example, gray crows.

Near human habitation, herons willingly feed on garbage and processed products of fish farms.


Great white heron in flight.

Reproduction features

Females mature at the age of one year, puberty of males occurs by 2 years. In individuals of both sexes, the beak and legs become intense red during the mating season.

Herons are monogamous, some species form a pair for life, others only for one season. The inhabitants of the tropics are not tied to a specific breeding time. Migratory populations of the temperate zone nest immediately after arrival: in March - early April.

During the nesting period, most species of herons form large colonies of tens or even hundreds of pairs. Nests are built high in trees, sometimes in thickets of shrubs and reeds.

Mating is preceded by a very original mating ritual. The first to build a nest is the male, and then calls the female, standing on the nest in a characteristic position with spread wings and her head thrown back into the sky. A female arrives, attracted by croaking sounds, and the male immediately beats her up and drives her away. This continues over and over again, and the later the female arrives, the sooner a pair is formed, sometimes without the ritual of beatings and expulsions.

Herons mate and continue nest building. The male brings twigs and dry reeds, the female lays them down, at the same time protecting the nest from the encroachments of neighbors. The nest of herons looks like a carelessly felled pile of branches, its shape is an inverted cone, with an average height of 50 - 60 cm with a tray diameter of about 80 cm. Often a pair reuses the nest, correcting and completing it every year.

Breeding

The female lays from 3 to 9 greenish-blue eggs, many of which are pointed at both ends, and sits in the nest alternately with the male. Herons of southern populations incubate clutch for 3 weeks, living in temperate latitudes for 26 - 27 days. The first chick hatches from the first laid egg and has every chance of survival.

Chicks are born sighted, covered with grayish-white down and completely helpless. Parents feed offspring with over-digested food, which is regurgitated from the stomach.

After some time, fierce competition begins among the chicks. The first is the strongest, he gets more food, he takes away food from weak brothers and sisters, it was often noted that large chicks ate the younger ones. While the parents are busy getting the next food, the chicks can take food from the chicks - neighbors who are already able to fly.

At best, half of the offspring survive, often 1-2 of the strongest chicks remain in the nest. At the age of 2 months, young birds acquire the ability to fly and begin to feed on their own.

In captivity, herons live up to 20 years. wild nature their life expectancy is much shorter.

Types of herons

To date, the most studied are 12 species of herons belonging to the genus True herons, most of them are quite numerous, but some are rare and endangered. The heron family also includes genera: egrets (10 species), Egyptian herons (1 species), pond herons (6 species), tiger herons (3 species) and others. Bitterns and night herons are also members of the heron family.

Representatives of the species are quite numerous and live in most of Eurasia and Africa. The largest number of birds is noted in Russia, China and Japan. These are large herons weighing up to 2 kg with a characteristic bluish-gray plumage of the back and a light gray underparts.



Gray herons on a dried tree.

Great gray heron on the morning hunt.
Gray heron on a walk.
Gray heron in flight.
A gray heron landing on the water, photo taken in Israel.

These closest relatives of the gray heron are widespread in the New World. The growth of an adult reaches 137 cm with a body weight of about 2.5 kg. The upper part of the body of the birds is painted gray, black, white and brownish stripes are clearly distinguishable on the long neck. The back of the head of males is decorated with a bunch of black feathers.



Great blue herons on the nest.

Numerous species of herons living in Africa, America, Eurasia, Australia and New Zealand. Adult birds grow up to 104 cm and weigh a little more than a kg. A distinctive feature of the great egret is its completely snow-white plumage.


Great Egret, Okavango Delta, Botswana.

The great white heron is a large wading bird with long legs, 94-104 cm tall.

The widespread numerous population of these birds lives from East Africa to South Asian regions and Australia. It closely resembles the great egret, but has a smaller body size.


A rare, endangered species of herons living in northern Myanmar, India and Bhutan. These are large birds, up to 127 cm tall, dark gray in color with a whitish lower body.



Medium-sized bird with a chestnut-brown lower body and a gray back. It lives in Africa and Eurasia, forms 4 subspecies, which are quite numerous throughout the range.


Red heron (Ardea purpurea).
Red heron chasing fish.

Absolutely white birds with a crest on the head and a bright yellow beak. They live in Russia, Korea and China, winter on the islands of Southeast Asia. Today, yellow-billed herons are listed as vulnerable species.



Yellow-billed heron in flight.

A species of small herons with a body length of about 45 - 55 cm. The contrasting color of the plumage resembles a magpie: a dark gray back and head and a white chest. Birds are found in large numbers in Australia, New Guinea and the nearest small islands.





The bird is of medium size, about 85 cm in size. The plumage color resembles gray herons, but is darker in color with black markings on the neck. They live south of the Sahara desert and on the island of Madagascar. The state of the black-necked heron population does not cause concern.



The black-necked heron gathers twigs for the nest.

Endangered species of herons living in Madagascar. This is a medium-sized bird about 90 cm long with a gray-slate plumage color.


A very numerous bird species that lives throughout South America and nearby islands. The body length of adult birds is 95 - 127 cm with a weight of up to 2.5 kg. The belly of the birds is black, the head is decorated with a black cap, the neck and chest are white.



The largest representative of the genus, also known as the goliath heron and the giant heron. The growth of birds is 155 cm, and body weight reaches 7 kg. The plumage of the birds is gray-brown, the neck and head are chestnut-brown, the chin is painted white. A large population of birds lives throughout the African continent south of the Sahara Desert.



Giant herons at the pond.

The little white heron belongs to the genus white herons. Outwardly, it looks like a great egret from the genus common herons.




The species white heron belongs to the genus white herons. It lives almost throughout South America and in the south North America. On the North American continent this species leads a migratory lifestyle.


The white heron caught a crayfish.

The American Egret (Snowy Egret) is about 60 centimeters long and feeds on a variety of small fish, crustaceans, reptiles and occasionally insects.

Relatives of herons - cranes, look

 

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