Grey heron / Graureiher (Ardea cinerea)

Wikipedia Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch bird-song.ch Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU YouTube

Graureiher auf dem Flachsee. 2026-04-30 09:52:18 Flachsee am Reuss

Observations

First documented observation: 2019-11-22 in Switzerland. Most recent observation: 2026-05-26 in Switzerland.

Description

Classification: Genus Great herons (Ardea); Family Herons (Ardeidae)
General: Frequent visitor.
General: Normally in the fields looking for food, also seen flying over or standing in the Luppmen (brook).
General: Deutschland: Brut-, Jahres-, Zugvogel, Wintergast
Vocalization: Quite vocal. At breeding ground a varied repertoire of harsh and clattering sounds. [Link]

Seasonal behavior

Year-round bird
Breeding: 02-01 - 08-29
Migration in: 02-01 - 04-11
Migration out: 07-10 - 10-27
More details at Vogelwarte.ch

Other Details

Physical details

Physical details: length=90-98 cm, wingspan=175-195 cm, weight=1020-2073 g
Habitats: Wetland

Vocalisation

Song: No details but a Xeno-Canto recording.
Song attributes: Frequency:
Birdweather-Gray Heron call. Greater Fehraltorf 2024-11-01 08:26:54 ♫ 2024-11-01 08:26:54 Source: BIRDWEATHER 20241101_082654-Birdweather-Gray_Heron call.mp3 Greater Fehraltorf (call)

Calls: Most common call a short, far reaching and extremely harsh, rasping sound. [Link] General: Mechanical-sounding sort-of-a-quack
Call: Quite vocal. Most common call a short, far reaching and extremely harsh, rasping sound. At breeding ground a varied repertoire of harsh and clattering sounds. [Link]
XC876171 - Grey Heron - Ardea cinerea - call - Manyeleti Game Reserve, South Africa.

XC876171 - Grey Heron - Ardea cinerea - call - Manyeleti Game Reserve, South Africa. South Africa ♫ Source: XENOCANTO XC876171 - Grey Heron - Ardea cinerea - call - Manyeleti Game Reserve, South Africa.mp3 (call)


Call attributes: Call melody: non-musical, slow, Frequency: low (1-3 KHz), Special sounds: rasp.

Media


Graureiher in der Birke an der Luppmen - gute Beleuchtung mit Canon M Modus und selber wählen. 2024-09-08 12:37:59 Luppmen

Graureiher auf der Insel, Neeracherried. 2022-09-04 08:03:50 Neeracherried

Graureiher in der Birke an der Luppmen - Beleuchtung mit Canon Aplus Modus zu dunkel, evtl wg Gegenlicht.JPG. 2024-09-08 12:38:06 Luppmen

Cormorant, Graureiher, zwei Lachmöwen am Klingnauerstausee. 2022-02-05 10:35:32 Klingnauer Stausee (man-made lake)

Graureiher. 2026-05-26 13:12:15 Switzerland

Graureiher. 2026-05-25 11:22:28 Fanel/Chablais de Cudrefin und La Sauge

Additional Images


Graureiher und Schafe kommen insgesamt gut miteinander aus. 2022-08-14 17:47:24 Fehraltorf

Graureiher im Kanal, La Sauge. 2022-06-23 15:38:58 Fanel/Chablais de Cudrefin und La Sauge

Graureiher, Wauwilermoos. 2022-06-22 15:05:04 Wauwilermoos

Graureiher landet. 2022-06-04 12:27:20 Kaltbrunner-Riet

Graureiher landet in Kaltbrunnerriet, vom grossen Beobachtungsturm aus. 2022-06-04 12:27:18 Kaltbrunner-Riet

Possibly grey heron at San Christiano, Tenerife. 2022-03-19 10:33:22

Web pages with this species:

Mein Ersatz für FOK Ausflug zum Flachsee / Trip to Neeracherried with Meia / FOK Ausflug zum Klingnauer Stausee / Birds of the Canary Islands / Kaltbrunner Riet bei Uznach, dieses Mal ohne Meia / Wauwilermoos mit Meia, Anna, Richard / La Sauge mit Meia, Anna, Richard / Erster Ausflug mit der FOK2 Klasse / Brücke zwischen Rapperswil und Pfäffikon SZ über dem Zürichsee / Bolle di Magadino an Lago Maggiore, plus Locarno 2023 / Abschluss-Feier der FOK2 Klasse / Teil 1 der Klettgau-Tour / Guettingen at Lake Constance, New Year's 2023 / Southeast Asia January-March 2024 - Thailand, Laos, Cambodia / Phnom Krom birding trip with Mina, Cambodia, March 3, 2024 / Spring in Switzerland, 2024 / Summer in Switzerland, 2024 / Kaltbrunner Riet by Uznach with my new Canon EOS R7 camera / Klingnauer Stausee, May 20 2024 / La Sauge, May 22-23 2024 / My second outing with Tom Bischof in the torf and wetland nature preserve Bannriet by Altstätten, SG / Kaltbrunner Riet by Uznach to see if I can walk 2 hours - which turned into 3 1/2 / FOK3 expedition August 2024 to Klingnauerstausee / FOK3 in La Sauge / Fall and winter at home / Wildertweiher with migratory birds and others, December 2024 / Winter at home / Luppmen, the train line, and Wildertweiher / Two new Canary Islands in 2025 / Spring is the thing, time to sing - 2025 / Another trip to La Sauge with Rob Ward / Next-to-the-last FOK3 expedition to Neeracherried / By e-bike around Kaltbrunnerriet / August till Winter - 2025 / Back to Levanto, 4.-11. October 2025 / Another year: 2026 / Flachsee 2026 / La Sauge - always a hightlight!!