1.0Swiss Ornithological Institutehttps://www.vogelwarte.ch/en/rich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="GFEDVGVpfQ"><a href="https://www.vogelwarte.ch/en/birds-of-switzerland/purple-heron/">Purple Heron</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://www.vogelwarte.ch/en/birds-of-switzerland/purple-heron/embed/#?secret=GFEDVGVpfQ" width="600" height="338" title="“Purple Heron” — Swiss Ornithological Institute" data-secret="GFEDVGVpfQ" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script> /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); //# sourceURL=https://www.vogelwarte.ch/wp-includes/js/wp-embed.min.js </script> https://www.vogelwarte.ch/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/400_1.jpg16001200The Purple Heron is our most colourful heron. It is, however, still rather inconspicuous, for it is well camouflaged in the reeds and its behaviour is more secretive than that of the Grey Heron. It is often only detected when it flies up. Purple Herons need large, undisturbed reedbeds, which are becoming increasingly rare in Europe. Their long toes are adapted to climbing about reeds, grasping several stalks with each step. In Switzerland, the Purple Heron arrives towards the end of April and in May.