Read About Heron Bird

A Heron Bird is a fish-eating bird that inhabits regions close to rivers and other water bodies. Here's everything you need to know about it.

Heron bird -- Facts

  1. Breed:

    Also called egrets and bitterns, these birds fall under the Ardeidae family.
  2. Size:

    Herons are very tall birds. They stand about 4 foot long and they have a wing spread of about 1.75 to 2 m.
  3. Life Span:

    Despite their large size, herons are not long lived birds. The average life span of a heron bird is about 15 years.
  4. Varieties:

    There is a large variety of heron birds found all over the world. They usually are white, grey or bluish-grey in color. Their color depends on the climatic condition of the place where they reside, and to an extent, on the food they eat.
  5. Origins:

    These birds find their origin in North America, however, now they have spread all over the globe.
  6. Physical Traits:

    They have a soft drooping plumage. You can also spot snowy plumes on their neck, breast and backs. They have long neck, legs and long, pointed bill.
  7. Temperament:

    Herons are silent birds. They love a solitary environment. If provoked, they make loud shrieks.
  8. Trainability:

    Herons are not kept as pets and they cannot be trained. They are birds of the wild.

Heron bird -- Care

  1. Habitat:

    They usually build their nests in mangroves, bushes or grasses. They build a platform of twigs as a bed that is about 30 cm high.
  2. Food:

    They eat aquatic animals like fish, tadpoles, insects, crabs and sometimes even small rodents.
  3. Compatibility:

    Heron birds are mostly loners. They have been seen in groups of ten.

Heron bird -- Concerns

  1. Benefits:

    Herons help to reduce the population in rivers, lakes and ponds. In this way, they help to maintain the ecological balance.
  2. Liabilities:

    Herons may sometimes be detrimental to farmers along the coasts. Their large populations will reduce the fish and the income of fishermen.
  3. Health Issues:

    Herons do not suffer from major health problems. They are wild birds that can subsist in nature quite well.
  4. Specific Care Needs:

    Herons do not require any kind of human care.
  5. Special Household Needs:

    Since herons cannot be kept in human homes as pets, the question of household needs does not arise.

Heron bird -- How to Choose

  1. What to Look for:

    Herons will be sturdy tall creatures with long beaks. They will be found near beaches, trying to hunt for fish.
  2. Supplies:

    Herons need a supply of aquatic life. They are water birds.
  3. Expense:

    Herons are not sold as pets. No price information is available.