The British Trust for Ornithology
GREY HERON
Ardea cinerea
Grey Heron © Mike Weston
 
Conservation Listings

Unlisted/Green
Biodiversity Steering Group: Unlisted
  Long term trend
UK: increasing
 
Status Summary
The Heronries Census, which has monitored Grey Herons since 1928, now shows the species to be more abundant than ever before as it has recovered from a crash caused by the cold winter of 1962-63 and perhaps benefits from warmer winters, reduced persecution, falling pollution and increased stocking levels in freshwater fisheries (Gibbons et al. 1993, Marchant et al. in press).
 
 
Table of population changes for Grey Heron
Source Period
(yrs)		 Years Plots
(n)		 Change
(%)		 Lower
limit		 Upper
limit		 Alert Comment
Heronries Census 70 1929-1999 . 75 . .    
  25 1974-1999 . 15 . .    
  10 1989-1999 . 20 . .    
  5 1994-1999 . 8 . .    
BBS UK 6 1994-2000 462 18 5 32    
BBS England 6 1994-2000 374 -10 -20 2    
BBS Scotland 6 1994-2000 41 93 26 197   Small sample
BBS Wales 6 1994-2000 34 24 -19 90   Small sample

The Breeding Bird Survey is jointly funded by BTO, JNCC and RSPB
 
 
Table of productivity information for Grey Heron
Variable Period
(yrs)		 Years Mean
annual
sample		 Trend Predicted
in first year		 Predicted
in last year		 Change Comment
Brood size 31 1968-1999 45 None        
Daily failure rate (eggs) 31 1968-1999 16 None       Small sample
Daily failure rate (chicks) 31 1968-1999 29 Linear decline 0.0584 nests/day 0.0009 nests/day -0.0575 nests/day Small sample
Laying date 31 1968-1999 32 Linear decline day 98 day 74 -24 days  
 
Insufficient data on CES
available for this species




Wider Countryside Home | BTO Home | JNCC Home

This report should be cited as:
Baillie, S.R., Crick, H.Q.P., Balmer, D.E., Beaven, L.P., Downie, I.S., Freeman, S.N., Leech, D.I., Marchant, J.H.,
Noble, D.G., Raven, M.J., Simpkin, A.P., Thewlis, R.M. and Wernham, C.V. (2002) Breeding Birds in the Wider
Countryside: their conservation status 2001. BTO Research Report No. 278. BTO, Thetford. (http://www.bto.org/birdtrends)

Terms and Conditions of use
Privacy Statement

© British Trust for Ornithology
BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU, UK. Registered Charity Number 216652
Tel: +44 (0)1842 750050 Fax: +44 (0)1842 750030 Email:
This page last updated: 21 April, 2008

Page created by Susan Waghorn