Silberreiheri conquer Brandenburg: a sign of climate change!

In Brandenburg, the sightings of silver heritage (Ardea Alba) are increasing, which are often referred to as "white herons". A bird expert, Helmut Brücher from Rohrbeck, reports that these birds have been found all year round in Germany for about 15 years due to climate change. Originally, the Graereiher was home to Germany.

The silver -groomers do not nest in trees, but prefer meadows, fields and fallow land as breeding grounds. Their main food source is mice, but they also feed on frogs and toads. Silver riders are particularly common in areas with plenty of mice and avoid plowed fields. You are particularly visiting permanent grasslands and ponds with a low water level.

behavior and reproduction

brücher has observed that silver herons often occur in large swarms of up to 100 birds. When there is a lot of snow, they move to milder areas. These birds can be recognized by their light feather dress, the curved neck and the bent bent wings. In contrast to grayers, silver herons are still while flight. Despite their increasing number of silver herons in Germany have not yet breed. The most common breeding regions are Holland, Poland and Hungary, where they nest in wetlands and reed areas.

In addition, the NABU reports that Silberreihreier in Germany can be found more and more and that in foggy weather, their white plumage are clearly visible. They are about as large as gray heron, but leaner and equipped with a long neck. For example, special resting communities of up to 300 silver heritage can be observed on the Steinhuder Meer in Lower Saxony. The reasons for the increased occurrence in Germany are not completely clarified, but an extended food intake and the increase in breeding couples in Eastern Europe who move to Germany to hibernate could contribute to this.

The original breeding area of the silver herons in Europe mainly focused on the southeast. Today there are mostly brood colonies in reeds, where both parent animals are involved in nest construction and brood care. The existence of the silver heron recovered after a drastic decline in the early 20th century by protective measures. The first official breeding detection in Germany was documented in 2012 on the Baltic Sea coast opposite Rügen.