Goliath Heron

How to identify the Goliath heron

A giant heron with a chestnut head and neck, slate-grey back and wings, a white chin and a heavy, dagger-like dark bill. In flight it is slow and heavy, with the legs trailing well behind.

Where to see the Goliath heron in Murchison Falls National Park

On the banks and sandbars of the Nile between the lodge, Paraa and the bottom of the Falls, and in the delta.

Habitat

Shallow water at the edge of rivers, lakes and swamps, often on sandbanks and among reeds.

What the Goliath heron eats

Large fish, which it spears after standing motionless or wading very slowly. It takes fewer but bigger fish than other herons.

Behaviour

Solitary and territorial. It stands in deeper water than smaller herons and can wait for long periods without moving.

Best time to see the Goliath heron

All year. Resident, here all year.