Adult grey heron

Grey herons are unmistakable, with their spindly legs and long necks. They have a wingspan of around 6ft. You can expect to find herons near any body of water, standing with their neck outstretched looking for food.
The grey heron’s main prey is fish. They also eat small mammals, like voles, small birds, and amphibians. They are sociable birds, which nest close together in heronries.
The heron had many Old English names, including hragra. This name comes from older words, skreik and skreig, which mean to screech or creak. Most of the old names for herons allude to its cry in this way.