Birds of the Sundarban

Gray Heron
Binomial Name: Ardea cinerea
The Gray Heron is a common resident aquatic bird of Bangladesh. Although said to becommon, the bird has recently become unaffordable. Among the many species of heron
found in Bangladesh, these are the largest. Wanderings are not everywhere; they are mainlyspread in big rivers, like the extensive marsh. They often live in isolated flocks of other
species of waterfowl, especially the heron; at the same time, they spend the night on thebranches of tall trees. It searches for prey by standing still in water, mud, or fields, and
when it gets the chance, it hunts with its long, bill-like claws. Their diet includes fish,
amphibians, small mammals, reptiles, shrimp, and snails. The breeding season is from Julyto September. At this time, the branches of large trees adjacent to the water body are
colonized and nested with birds of the samebranches. family, the heron, with narrow

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common

resident

Photo © Foridi Numan

Birds of the Sundarban I 193