Bird Life
The birds of the Rhône
Year-round
Grey Heron
Ardea cinerea
The sentinel of the Rhône. Often spotted standing motionless in the shallows or perched on the stone embankments, hunting with extraordinary patience. Wingspan of up to 175cm — one of Geneva's most striking birds.
Spring · Summer
Common Kingfisher
Alcedo atthis
A flash of electric blue and burnt orange — the kingfisher is the Rhône's jewel. Spotted dipping from low branches to catch small fish at speed. A sighting always draws a gasp. Patience (and silence) reward you.
Autumn · Winter
Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carbo
Cormorants are expert divers, often spotted spreading their wings dramatically on jetty posts to dry. In autumn and winter months, groups of 10 or more can sometimes be seen roosting along the Rhône's stone walls.
Spring · Summer
Common Moorhen
Gallinula chloropus
Energetic and territorial, moorhens nest in the riverside vegetation and are often seen with chicks in spring and early summer. Their red-and-yellow bill makes them unmistakable. Don't paddle too close — they'll tell you about it.
Year-round
Mallard Duck
Anas platyrhynchos
The Rhône's most sociable inhabitants. Mallards are present year-round and remarkably unfazed by paddle boards. In spring, the males compete in spectacular courtship displays. A favourite sighting for families and children.
Spring · Autumn
Little Egret
Egretta garzetta
Ghostly white, elegant, and deliberate — the little egret is an increasingly common visitor to Geneva's waterways. Watch for their distinctive yellow-footed shuffle as they stir up fish from the riverbed sediment.
