Herons are long-legged birds typically found in ponds, marshes, and swamps. Grey herons are the largest member of the heron family – they can weigh up to 2 kilograms. They have a long beak and grey, black and white featherings.
Thanks to its amazing adaptability, the grey heron has become a synanthropic species (animals that live near people, and benefit from the environments we create). It breeds, for example, as a wild bird in various zoos. This is where I took today’s photograph.
In Switzerland, the grey heron is found mainly on the Central Plateau and in the Jura at altitudes below 600 m. There it breeds close to water and sometimes near settlements. It is also often seen foraging on farmland.
Grey herons feed mainly on fish, but their diet varies according to habitat and season. The species is considered very adaptable.