Fast Facts about Grey Herons

• Latin Name - Ardea Cinerea.
• They are the biggest species of heron in Europe!
• They have a wingspan of up to 175cm.
• They are the top of the food chain in freshwater habitats, and their diet consists of fish mainly but can also contain rodents, water voles, ducklings and amphibians.
• Male and female birds build nests up to 40m up trees and usually in the same tree as several other nests.
• Courtship activity starts around early December with eggs being produced around Christmas.
• Incubation of eggs takes 25 days.
• Chicks are fed by the parents on regurgitated fish.
• At 4-6 weeks the baby birds start to wonder from their nest and at around 8 weeks is when they learn to fly, but can remain dependant on their parents till they are up to 10 weeks.
• Their average lifespan is 5 years, but the oldest known individual was 23 years old.

If there are any other things people would like to know about Grey Herons, leave a question in the comments box and I will get back to you!

RSPB - The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

So, trying to get my name out there, I saw an advertisement for the RSPB that said they were looking for volunteers, I'd never really considered doing any work with them before because I am not really a bird person but since being at Paradise that has all changed so I thought I would look into it; one of the best decisions ever!!

They have so many great opportunities for animal lovers and don't just work with birds but all wildlife! I chose to volunteer in St. Albans at their Heron nest watching sight by the lake, it was an amazing day and I learnt so much! Worked alongside some great people too, after volunteering with them for just one day I knew they were a lovely organisation to work for. If there is anyone out there that is interested in wildlife and specifically birds then I reckon you should definitely look into volunteering for the RSPB because it is an amazing opportunity and I am so lucky to have got to be a part of it (lots of future volunteering for the RSPB is in the horizon for me!) They have over 200 nature reserves around the country and Scotland and Wales so anyone can get involved. They also have opportunities to volunteer abroad and to travel around the country working on the nature reserves so it really is pretty amazing!

Following this post will be a fact file on Grey Herons which are the largest type of Heron in the whole of Europe! These are the type of heron I have been observing the nests of alongside the RSPB. And I will also be posting a fact file on the RSPB themselves and explaining what they actually do to help wildlife and explaining how people can get involved without volunteering!!

Thanks everyone!!