The
grey heron (
Ardea cinerea) is a long-legged
predatory wading
bird of the
heron family, Ardeidae, native throughout temperate
Europe and
Asia and also parts of
Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but some populations from the more northern parts
migrate southwards in autumn. A bird of wetland areas, it can be seen around lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes and on the sea coast. It feeds mostly on aquatic creatures which it catches after standing stationary beside or in the water or stalking its prey through the shallows.