Mangoverde :: World Bird Guide :: Herons, Egrets and Bitterns :: Gray Heron

Gray Heron Ardea cinerea

Described by: Linnaeus (1758)
Alternate common name(s): Grey Heron, Mauritanian Heron
Old scientific name(s): None known by website authors

Photographs

Yatsu Higata Nature Observation Center, Chiba, Japan - Oct 25, 2002 © William Hull  Yatsu Higata Nature Observation Center, Chiba, Japan - Oct 25, 2002 © William Hull  Yatsu Higata Nature Observation Center, Chiba, Japan - Nov 22, 2002 © William Hull  Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan - Mar 22, 2005 © William Hull  Yatsu Higata Nature Observation Center, Chiba, Japan - Feb 25, 2009 © William Hull 
Select thumbnail to view larger image - Place cursor over image for image information
Select additional thumbnail page to view 15 more images.

Range

Palearctic and Oriental Regions; S. Africa and Madagascar;
Two main populations;
(1) Ireland, England, Scotland, Outer Hebrides, coastal Norway, s. Sweden, s. Finland e. through Hungary (Hortobagy National Park) and c. Russia to nw. China (Sinkiang) and c. Siberia (Lena River to n. Sakhalin Is.), s. to Canary Is., Portugal, Spain, s. France, n. Italy, Greece, Turkey, Egypt (Nile Delta), Red Sea, s. and e. Africa e. to Iraq, n. Iran, e. Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, India, Maldive Is., Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Andaman Is. Breeding has been confirmed in Africa s. of the Sahara in Senegambia, Mauritania, Ivory Coast, Ghana, s. Nigeria, Mali, Niger, Sudan, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Angola, Zambia, Malawi, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa with most breeding colonies in s. Africa n. to the Equator. Occurs as a non-breeding visitor in Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Togo, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon, Congo, Zaire and Mozambique.
Disperses to coastal Morocco, Algeria, Tunsia, Africa s. of the Sahara to the Equator.
(2) Japan, Korea, e. China, Hainan, Taiwan, Philippines, Indochina, Thailand, n. Burma, Malaya, Sumatra, Linngga Archipelago, Java, Bali and Lesser Sundas. Borneo?
(3) Madagascar and Aldabra.
(4) Mauritana (Banc d'Arguin).

Videos

Yatsu Higata Nature Observation Center, Chiba, Japan - Aug 5, 2001 Source: William Hull
Description: None

Sounds

Location unknown - Date unknown Source: Massaciuccolis Oasis
Location unknown - Date unknown Source: Biological Research Information Center, BRIC of Korea
Location unknown - Date unknown Source: ETI BioInformatics

References

Clements, James F. Birds of the World: A Checklist. Vista, CA: Ibis Publishing Company, 2000.

Comments/Errors

Please email with errors/comments on this page or to donate photos.


If there is no family list to the left, you may have arrived at this page from a direct link.
Please select "Mangoverde World Bird Guide" to view the entire bird site.