EGRETS AND GREY HERONS

The common grey heron is a large, stork-like bird with an ashy grey upper plumage, white crown and neck and greyish white under parts. The neck is long, slender and S-shaped, with a prominent, black dotted line running down the middle of the neck on its under side. The head bears a long black crest. It is found throughout India, Burma and Sri Lanka and usually occurs on the margins of lakes and tanks, estuaries and marshes. Its flight is very powerful and its call consists of a deep, harsh, croaking sound uttered during flight. These birds nest gregariously in trees. The large egret is a winter visitor to India. Its bill is black; in the non-breeding phase, the dorsal plumes are dropped and the bill is yellow. It feeds on fish, frogs, tadpoles, fresh water molluscs and also on large insects.