Goliath Heron

"Most of the day I stand with my long legs in the water waiting and peering, looking for a big haul."

Discover in real life
Goliath heronArdea goliath

  • Habitat

    Sub-Saharan Africa.

  • Food

    big fish

  • Lifetime

    22 years old

  • Span

    1.80 to 2.30 meters

  • Weight

    4.5 kilograms on average

  • Number of eggs

    3 to 5 eggs

  • Incubation time

    approximately 27 days

  • IUCN Status

    safe

  • EEP?

    yes

22

years, that's how old I can get

27

days I am brooding

1,50

meter, that's about how tall I am without my feather quill

Large fish are not a problem

Small fish, I don't need them. I only go for the jackpot: a fish 30 cm long, I like to eat those! Most of the day I stand with my long legs in the water waiting and peering, looking for a big catch. Small fish I just leave alone. If I went after them, I would only disturb the water and miss the chance to catch a big fish.

In length and width

I myself am also tall, about 1.50 m tall. If I put the tuft of feathers on my head upright, I look even taller. And when I fly away, I do it with a slow flick of my wings. Then you can see how wide I am. As much as 2 meters! I am the biggest kind of heron in the world.

Want to know more about IUCN status or the EEP? Click here.