Imperial Heron
| Imperial Heron | ||||||||||||
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Imperial Heron, Bhutan |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Ardea insignis | ||||||||||||
| Hume , 1878 |
The emperor heron ( Ardea insignis ), also known as the white-bellied heron , is a rare species of bird in the heron family .
description
At 127 centimeters, the imperial heron is the second largest species of heron after the Goliath heron . The skull appears dark gray. The light feather feathers have gray tips. The 152 to 176 mm long beak is black and has a yellow-green tip. The iris is yellow ocher. The throat is predominantly gray. The top is ash gray with a brown tinge. The chin and underside are white. The lower wings are gray with white under wing covers. The legs and feet are dull gray. The sexes look the same. The plumage of the young birds is brownier than that of the adults. Their belly is white and their legs are lighter. Chicks have a white body and belly. The beak is black. The underside is yellowish, the legs are pink. The wings show a black color, which turns into a dark gray. The legs are white.
distribution
The historical distribution area of the imperial heron extended from central and eastern India , Nepal , Bangladesh , Bhutan , Myanmar and China . Today the species only occurs in western Uttar Pradesh , Assam , Bangladesh, Bhutan and northern Myanmar. The breeding population in most of the distribution area is unknown.
habitat
The emperor heron inhabits large inland swamp forests and wooded river regions. It is less common in the submontane grasslands. During the breeding season it is dependent on primary forests with large nesting trees.
Way of life
The emperor heron usually goes in search of food individually. While the heron stands motionless knee-deep in the water, the neck can be seen in the characteristic S-shape. The emperor heron feeds on insects, large crayfish or fish. He hunts at dawn, flies to the feeding grounds early in the morning and returns to the sleeping trees at dusk. The breeding season is between April and August. It nests in large platform nests in tall forest trees.
Danger
The imperial heron is one of the rarest species of heron in the world. In Bhutan only 21 specimens were counted in 2006 and the population in Myanmar probably only consists of 30 to 40 individuals. BirdLife International estimates the population to be less than 250 specimens. The main risk is the widespread loss, straightening and disturbance of wetlands. The wetlands have been destroyed by pollution, siltation, overgrowth of aquatic vegetation and exploitation of resources. Increasing disturbance and loss of habitat through settlements, agricultural use, harvesting in the wetlands and poaching also represent a significant degree of risk.
literature
- Erik Hirschfeld (2007): The Rare Birds Yearbook 2008 , MagDig Media Ltd., Shrewsbury ISBN 978-0-9552607-3-5
- James A. Kushlan and James Hancock (2005): The Herons , Oxford University Press ISBN 0-19-854981-4 ( Online )
Web links
- Ardea insignis in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2008. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2008. Accessed January 30 of 2009.
- White-bellied Heron - BirdLife Species Factsheet .
- White-Bellied Heron Photos Photos by Yeshey Dorji