(_Ardea cinerea_)
The heron, or common or grey heron, as it is frequently called in order
to distinguish it from its relatives, has fortunately not shared the
fate of the bittern, and is still more or less common in many parts of
Great Britain, where it may be seen at all hours of the day standing
mid-leg deep in some stream patiently awaiting the next passing fish.
Its gregarious habits and the protection accorded to many of the
ancient heronries in various parts of the country doubtless account for
the survival among us of this handsome, albeit thin and ill-favoured,
grey bird. Nevertheless, on account of its fish-eating habits, the
heron has many enemies, and is relentlessly persecuted in certain
districts, especially by those connected with fisheries. Recently,
however, efforts have been made to check this persecution; and in East
Sussex, where there are no trout-hatcheries, these birds are protected
throughout the year.
Although, as just mentioned, herons may be seen fishing at all hours of
the day, they are chiefly nocturnal birds, and thus the very opposite
of the kingfisher, which always captures its prey by daylight. When
a heron sees a fish within reach, it strikes with unerring aim like
a flash of lightning, and usually seizes its victim crosswise in its
spear-like beak. In the case of larger fish, it is stated, however, to
attack them by stabbing in the back--a mode of attack from which such
fish, although mortally wounded, generally manage to escape. Of those
fish which are seized crosswise in the beak, the larger ones are first
beaten to death, after which they are swallowed head-foremost. When
a successful lunge has been made, the heron resumes its motionless,
watchful pose, confident that, although scared away for a time, the
fish will soon return.
As the heron is a most voracious bird, consuming, it is affirmed,
fully its own weight of food in a day, and as this food consists
chiefly of fish, anglers, it must be confessed, have some excuse for
the detestation with which they regard the species. Nevertheless,
the heron does some good, as it also consumes a number of snakes and
frogs, as well as water-rats. In addition to the above, herons also eat
river-mussels, insects, worms, and probably also young birds.
The geographical distribution of the heron is very extensive,
comprising most of the countries of the Old World, although the
bird visits some of these only during certain parts of the year. In
the north of Europe, for example, herons are migratory, travelling
southwards to Africa in parties of as many as fifty individuals in
October, and not returning till the following March or April. All
streams and pieces of water in the neighbourhood of forests, or at
least where a certain number of large trees are to be found, may
serve as the fishing-resorts of the heron.
[Illustration]
Herons build in large colonies, or heronries, which may contain from
about fifteen to as many as four hundred nests. Formerly there were
a great number of English heronries, especially in Lincolnshire, but
many of these, like the well-known large one near Spalding, have been
broken up. Many, however, still remain, and a new one has been recently
established near Lewes. One of the largest English heronries was that
of Bride, near Rye, in Sussex, which in 1860 contained as many as four
hundred nests, although by 1880 there were barely a couple of hundred.
Now, owing to the felling of some of the trees, this magnificent
heronry has ceased to exist.
The nest is a large, rude structure of dry sticks and reeds, lined with
hair, wool, and feathers, in which the female lays her three or four
large green eggs. The young remain in the nest, or nesting-platform
as it might well be called, until fully fledged, and are remarkably
voracious. Putrefying fish cover the edge of the nest, as well as the
ground below, and poison the air with their smell. The parents attend
to their offspring for a few days after the latter leave the nest; but
at the end of this period old and young part company.
If the nest be attacked, the parents suffer their eggs or young to be
carried off, without doing more than opening their beaks and uttering
mournful cries, although in many cases a single blow from the beak
would suffice to slay the spoiler.
Heron-hawking was in former days a favourite sport of the nobles all
over Europe. The falcon, usually the peregrine, always endeavoured to
get above the heron, when, after the delivery of a successful attack,
both birds fell together headlong to the ground. As a rule, the
ornamental feathers--at one time highly esteemed--were plucked from the
heron, which was then set at liberty.
On account of the damage it does to fisheries, the heron is even more
persecuted on the Continent than in Great Britain; and is shot whenever
an opportunity occurs, except in protected breeding-places.