What they like

Peace, shallow water and a clear view. Ditch banks, pond edges, drainage channels, wet meadows. A post or fence to peer from: perfect. Don’t keep your pond neat everywhere: leave a gentle bank, some reeds and messy corners. In parks and gardens: leave a corner wet and rough, with bulrush, reeds and yellow iris. On yards and farmsteads: keep a ditch bank wide and mow it only once a year, not weekly.

Ecological importance

He’s the long arm of the water’s edge: eats mainly fish, frogs, salamanders, insects and mice. That keeps small prey in balance and shows where aquatic life still teems. Young or weak herons themselves are prey for foxes and large birds of prey.

When in the Netherlands

All year round. In cold spells some herons move away, while others may arrive.

Status

Common. Numbers fluctuate with severe winters and the quality of wet habitats.