A mysterious giant bird appeared in Changping, Beijing? This guy looks stupid, but he's actually very smart!

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Topic #Mysterious big bird appeared in Beijing Changping Park#

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Relevant staff confirmed that this bird is a heron, a large wading bird belonging to the family Ardeidae in the order Ciconiiformes. It is distributed in various parts of China, and has been included in my country's "Three Have" wild animal list, namely the "List of Terrestrial Wildlife with Important Economic and Scientific Research Value that is Protected by the State."

Image source: Beijing News

Grey herons are not only elegant in appearance, but also well-known for their unique hunting habits. In recent years, news of their appearance has been reported frequently across the country, which is enough to prove their widespread presence. At the edge of lakes and wetlands, we can often see grey herons standing quietly, and their seemingly "silly" posture is deeply loved by photography enthusiasts.

Image source: Beijing News

However, this seemingly "silly" behavior actually contains profound survival wisdom. The heron is quietly waiting, capturing every subtle moment of the prey's appearance. This combination of calmness and wit makes it known as one of the smartest members of the heron family. Every time it appears, we have a deeper understanding and awe of nature and life.

The British classification of wading birds varies

Among the wading birds, there is a group of striking large water birds that generally possess the "three long" characteristics: a slender beak, an elegant long neck and long legs.

The feathers of this type of water bird are loose and flowing, and the colors are mainly white, gray, brown, etc. They mainly live in wetland environments and are important indicator species that are indispensable to wetland ecosystems. We call this type of water bird heron. From a biological taxonomic point of view, they belong to the Ardeidae family.

The classification of Ardeidae waterbirds has been controversial since the 1970s. Initially, they were classified as Pelecaniformes. However, with the continuous deepening of scientific research, their classification has changed and they have gradually been classified as Ciconiformes.

To this day, the classification of Ardeidae waterbirds still shows characteristics of both. For example, egrets, as a member of the Ardeidae, belong to the genus Egretta of the order Pelecaniformes, while herons belong to the genus Ardea of ​​the order Ciconiiformes. Although both belong to the Ardeidae family, they belong to different subfamilies and genera, reflecting the existing connections and differences between them.

Great egret and heron Image source: Bird Network

The Chinese working people have a long history of knowing about water birds of the family Ardeidae, which can be traced back to the Han Dynasty more than a thousand years ago. In the Han Dynasty's Shuowen Jiezi, heron was officially explained as "white bird", and people at that time often called flying birds with white parts "herons". As time went by and understanding deepened, the name "heron" gradually referred specifically to egrets. Then, people used the word "heron" to name birds that were closely related to egrets, such as herons.

The Ardeidae family of water birds has more than 60 species worldwide, including egrets, grey herons, night herons, pond herons, cattle egrets, etc. Among them, the grey heron is undoubtedly one of the most representative species with the most significant "three long" characteristics.

It is worth mentioning that the grey heron is the model species of the Ardeidae waterbird. This name was determined by Carl Linnaeus, the founder of world biological taxonomy, which further highlights its important position in the entire Ardeidae family.

The thin fisherman with a bare neck is waiting

The heron has a long beak, long neck and long legs, showing a slender silhouette. Its feathers are rich in color, with its head, neck and chest as white as snow, while its back to the tail is dark gray, so it is affectionately called the "gray heron". The slender black feathers behind its head are like the braids of an old fisherman, adding a bit of sophistication and master-like style to it, adding a touch of color to the world of wading birds. The black flight feathers are particularly conspicuous when flying, making the description of "thin neck, long beak, thin bones, barefoot old fisherman wearing straw raincoat" appropriate.

Flying heron Image source: wikipedia

Grey herons mainly live in shallow water areas of rivers, lakes, parks, or in swamps and rice fields. They often move in pairs or small groups, and only gather in large groups during the migration season or the cold winter. At night, they choose tall trees as a resting place, and during the day they stand quietly by the water, with one foot standing and the other foot tucked under the abdomen, remaining still for a long time, like a green stake, giving people a sense of tranquility and depth. Therefore, grey herons are also figuratively called Qingzhuang, Lao, etc.

The way the heron flies is also unique. The wings are spread out and move slowly, the neck is bent like a "Z", the legs are stretched out in a straight line, and the tail is stretched far behind. This unique flying posture is in sharp contrast to the stretched flight of the white crane, and has become an important feature to distinguish the two.

Good hunting and good parenting

The herons stand still in the water for a long time, seemingly stupid, but actually they are full of wisdom. They mainly live in shallow waters, and because the fish they prey on are scarce, they need to wait patiently. Their bodies are still, but their eyes are fixed on the water surface. Once the fish approach, they quickly stretch out their long necks and peck at the fish as fast as lightning. They are truly "quiet as a virgin, fast as a rabbit".

This extraordinary patience and agility is the secret of the heron's hunting skills. There is a folk saying that "a stork fishing for fish may die of starvation, but waiting for fish will not," which actually praises the patience of the heron ("fish stork" is the common name for the cormorant, which is an expert in fishing).

When herons are hungry, they show their unique wisdom. They will first hover in the sky, looking for and locking onto the target area where fish are active. Then, they will catch insects from the grass and throw them into the target waters to attract fish to gather. Then, the herons will stand in the waters a little further away and only prey on scattered fish to avoid scaring away the fish. Once they are full, they will fly away quietly, decisively and resolutely.

In terms of parenting, herons also demonstrate remarkable wisdom. From the moment the female bird lays eggs, the heron couple takes on the responsibility of raising the baby together. They take turns foraging and incubating, day and night. When the baby heron is born, the parents take even more meticulous care, feeding it mouth to mouth and taking great care of it.

However, when the young herons have full-fledged wings and learn to fly and hover, their parents will ruthlessly drive them out of the nest and let them live independently. This parenting method of loving but not overindulging is a vivid manifestation of the wisdom of herons.

It is forbidden to catch three kinds of animals

Herons are smart

No better than humans

Herons are widely distributed around the world, in wetland environments throughout Asia, Europe and Africa, and are common members of these ecosystems. Although we often see herons, according to a survey by the International Waterfowl Study Organization, there are only about 18,000 herons in my country. This rare species has been included in the Red List of Endangered Species of the World Conservation Union and is listed as a national first-class protected animal in China.

Although wild herons are included in the "Three Protected Animals List", that is, terrestrial wild animals with important ecological, economic and scientific research value, in recent years, with the development and utilization of natural environments such as rivers, lakes and wetlands, their living conditions have become increasingly harsh. Coupled with the malicious hunting by humans, the heron population has been declining continuously.

Therefore, we must take action

Strengthening protection for this important animal

Any form of random capture is strictly prohibited

Ensuring they can continue to thrive in nature

END

References:

"Research on the Reproductive Ecology and Environmental Adaptability of Ardea cinerea", author Li Junlou, Journal of Henan Normal University, Issue 2, 2019

"Study on the Ecological Habits of Arboreal Heron", by Gao Xin, Zheng Guo, Yan Zhanshan, Zhou Zheng, Liaoning Forestry Science and Technology, No. 1, 2002

"A Brief Discussion on the Development Suggestions of Chaoyang Heron Municipal Nature Reserve" by Li Chunyue, "New Agriculture" Issue 24, 2020

Author: Wei Deyong

Member of Guangdong Shenzhen Writers Association

Editor: Dong Xiaoxian