The grey heron is a large bird with a length of about 90 to 98 centimetres[4] and can reach a body weight of about'2 kilograms. There is no sexual dimorphism; the male and female look roughly the same. Both sexes have a grey upper surface, wings and tail, and the wing tips are black. The head is white with a black band through the eye, which continues into a crest. The neck is also white but has longitudinal stripes on the front. The ventral side is mostly light grey in colour. The head bears a yellow, dagger-shaped bill, which sometimes turns reddish in the breeding season. The legs are long and brown in colour and, like the beak, reddish.
The heron has a moderately fast flight with slow, heavy and deep wing beats, but sometimes also performs a small gliding flight. In this, the neck is retracted s-shaped and the legs extend behind the body. The wings are round, with black tips and a black band across the hind wing.
The grey heron differs from other species of heron by its relatively large body length, grey upper face, white head and neck with wide, black stripe from the eye to the black, gracefully drooping crest.
Hobby photographer from Zutphen.
Especially zoo and nature photography. Often on the road with my kids who also love photography...
Read more…