Western Cape
Cederberg Wilderness Area · Goukamma · Anysberg
Self-driveMalaria-free
Stays in Western CapeWhere to see
Where to see the Grey Heron in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Grey Heron at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Cederberg Wilderness Area and Goukamma Nature Reserve.
Ardea cinerea
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Grey Heron
Hosts have recorded the Grey Heron at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Cederberg Wilderness Area and Goukamma Nature Reserve.
Best hours of the day
- The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
- Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.
Where to base yourself
- Western Cape
Limpopo
Kruger
LimpopoSelf-driveStays in Limpopo
Eastern Cape
Kwandwe
Eastern CapeGuided drivesMalaria-freeStays in Eastern Cape
KwaZulu-Natal
iSimangaliso Wetland
KwaZulu-NatalStays in KwaZulu-Natal
Ways to look
Species
Ardea cinerea
Records
6,190
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Grey Heron on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Grey Heron in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Grey Heron at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Cederberg Wilderness Area, Goukamma Nature Reserve, Anysberg Nature Reserve, Kwandwe Private Game Reserve and Rocherpan Nature Reserve and other reserves. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Grey Heron in South Africa?
The Grey Heron is most recorded in Western Cape (44% of records), Mpumalanga (17% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (16% of records), based on 6,190 iNaturalist observations. 110 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Grey Heron on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Grey Heron?
The Grey Heron is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Kruger National Park: Apr-Sep; Cederberg Wilderness Area: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Goukamma Nature Reserve: year-round, warm Oct-Apr; Anysberg Nature Reserve: Autumn and spring, Mar-May, Sep-Nov. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Grey Heron?
The grey heron (Ardea cinerea) is a long-legged predatory wading bird of the heron family, Ardeidae, native throughout temperate Europe and Asia and also parts of Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but some populations from the more northern parts migrate southwards in autumn. A bird of wetland areas, it can be seen around lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes and on the sea coast.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Grey Heron
Every stay on the Grey Heron page lists the species its host has recorded on or near the property. A record is a sighting, never a promise.
See where to stay