Grey Heron
Featured in: Year 1: Animals, including humans
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Grey Heron
Bird
A tall, long-legged wading bird with a long beak, often seen hunting at the edge of ponds.
💡 Fun Facts
- Herons stand completely still for long periods, waiting for a fish to swim past before striking like lightning.
- They nest in large groups high up in tall trees; this is called a heronry.
- Despite their large size, they are incredibly light, weighing only about 1.5 kg.
Name Story
Ardea cinerea
means “the ash-grey heron”
What does its name mean?
- Ardea — heronLatin
- cinerea — ash-grey, the colour of ashesLatin (cinis, 'ashes')
Its name means "ash-grey", from the same old word that gives us "cinder" and "incinerate" — a perfect match for this tall, still, ashen-grey bird that waits at the water's edge to spear a fish.