British Population Size:
Summer:
13 thousand nests
in 2003
Winter:
61 thousand individuals
in
Note: Best estimate
 
First Record:
Recorded in Anglo-Saxon times
[Fossil evidence from
Devensian (last) glaciation, 10-120,000 yr ago]
Latest Survey:
Marchant et al. (2004) Ibis 146:323-334
Conservation Status:
GREEN
Previous Assessments:
2002-2007
GREEN
1996-2001
GREEN
Races of Concern:
cinerea GREEN
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
Most frequent in:
Along Rivers
Also common in:
Lakes
And found in:
Marsh, Estuaries, Ponds
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
Migration routes:
Map of foreign ringing recoveries
and summary map from Time to Fly (in pop-up windows)
European Population Size:
Summer:
185 to 230 thousand pairs
(Trend in Numbers )
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe mapped by the EBCC Atlas
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
Bern(III)
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
61 x 43 mm
Egg Weight:
61.0 g (of which 8 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
369
Clutch Size:
3 - 4 eggs
3.66 ± 1.06 (2 - 7) N = 264
Incubation:
27- 27 days
26.95 ± 0.90 (26.5 - 28.5) N = 264
by the:
Male + Female
Fledging:
50 - 55days
52.87 ± 2.62 (50 - 55) N = 1506
as:
Altricial, downy
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Nest Record Scheme data
First Clutches Laid:
12 Mar (19 Feb - 2 May)
Number of Broods:
1(2)
See trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed:
Annual Totals
Adult Survival:
0.732
± 0.018
Juvenile Survival:
0.260 (to age 2 )
Age at First Breeding:
2
years
Typical Lifespan:
5
years
Maximum Recorded Age:
23 years 9 months 2 days (set in 2003)
Read a summary of Ringing Recoveries
Biometrics
Ring Size:
J
Wing Length
Adult:
Insufficient Data
Juvenile:
435.1 ± 22.0
Range
395.0 - 468.0 mm, (N = 27)
Male:
Insufficient Data
Female:
Insufficient Data
Weight
Adult:
Insufficient Data
Juvenile:
Insufficient Data
Male:
Insufficient Data
Female:
Insufficient Data
Seasonal:
Other Names
Has Included Ardea herodias , Previously Casmerodius albus
Gaelic:
Corra-ghritheach
Welsh:
Crëyr Glas
Danish:
Fiskehejre
Dutch:
Blauwe reiger
Finnish:
Harmaahaikara
French:
Héron cendré
German:
Graureiher
Hungarian:
Szürke gém
Icelandic:
Gráhegri
Irish:
Corr Réisc
Italian:
Airone cenerino
Norwegian:
Gråhegre
Polish:
Czapla siwa
Portuguese:
Garça-real
Spanish:
Garza real
Swedish:
Häger
Local Names: Harnser, Frank
Collective Noun: Siege (Breeding coloony=Heronry)
For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
Voisin, C. 1991 The herons of Europe Poyser, London
[598.461 VOI]
Lowe, F. 1954 The heron Collins, London
[598.461 LOW]
Kushlan, J.A. & Hancock, J. 2005 The Herons Oxford University Press
[598.461 KUS]
See Also:
Find scientific papers on Google Scholar
or Scirus by clicking the icon
Wikipedia entry
BirdLife species page
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides
Read State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead