{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "heron",
  "name": "Grey Heron",
  "scientificName": "Ardea cinerea",
  "category": "Bird",
  "summary": "The grey heron (Ardea cinerea) is a tall, long-legged wading bird found in wetlands, rivers, and coasts across Eurasia and Africa. Standing up to a metre tall with grey, white, and black plumage, it hunts by standing motionless before spearing fish, amphibians, and small mammals with its dagger-like bill. A patient and adaptable predator, it can live up to 25 years and is listed as Least Concern.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Aves",
    "order": "Pelecaniformes",
    "family": "Ardeidae",
    "genus": "Ardea"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 1.5,
    "lengthM": 1,
    "topSpeedKmh": 40,
    "lifespanYears": 25
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Ardea cinerea"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore — fish, amphibians, rodents, and birds"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Wetlands, rivers, and coasts across Eurasia and Africa"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "15–25 years in the wild"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "1–2 kg (2.2–4.4 lb)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 40 km/h (25 mph) in flight"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Grey heron across Europe, Asia, and Africa from Britain to Japan and South Africa in wetlands and coasts.",
    "continents": [
      "Africa",
      "Asia",
      "Europe"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Ardea cinerea.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Ardea%20cinerea&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Ardea cinerea. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Ardea_cinerea/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/heron/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/heron/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}