Grey Heron

Ardea cinerea (Linnaeus, 1758)

		adult juvenille
2021-04-10 Altai Territory, Zakovryashino 2020-09-26 Novosibirskaya oblast	© Ilya Sukhov © Alexandr Kochetkov

Distribution

Generally common, but distribution is spotted, colonies can be situated in hundreds of kilometers from each other. Breeds near lakes, reserviors, and big rivers in steppe and forest-steppe, and in the south of forest zone. From late XXth century, numbers increase and distribution gets wider.

Biology

Common, in places abundant breeding migrant. Inhabits waters with reed-beds, tree-bush vegetation and shallow water. In spring arrives very early, in time when the waters are still ice-covered and the snow is still deep; in April in the southern areas, on Lake Bailal single birds can appear even in late March. Migrates singly or in small flocks, which rarely consist of up to 50 birds. Nests in separate pairs or in colonies to 200-500 nests, usually together with Cormorants, White Egrets or other Herons. Breeding begins in early April – early May. Bulky nests are built by both partners on the trees, bushes (Willow, etc) at height 6-10 m above the ground, from the dry twigs, and are lined with some grass; in another case nests are located in reed-beds, built from the dry reed stems and leaves at height 0.2-0.8 m above the water. Clutch of 2-6, usually 4-5 eggs is produced in early April – early June. Both parents incubate for 26-27 days and feed nestlings which hatch in early May – early June, and begin to fly from early June to mid-July. Autumn migration begins in end of August – early September and finishes at early – mid-October in northern areas. Single birds stay to winter.

References

В.К.Рябицев. "Птицы Сибири". Москва-Екатеринбург, Изд-во "Кабинетный ученый", 2014