Red-headed heron
| Red-headed heron | ||||||||||||
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Red-headed heron ( Gorsachius goisagi ) |
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| Gorsachius goisagi | ||||||||||||
| ( Temminck , 1835) |
The red-headed heron ( Gorsachius goisagi ) is a species from the heron family that belongs to the night heron . The predominantly red-brown colored bird occurs exclusively in East Asia and is considered one of the rare heron species. He is a distinct migratory bird. Since the population may only contain 1,000 individuals, the red-headed heron is classified as an endangered species.
Appearance
The red-headed heron reaches a height of 49 centimeters. The head is chestnut brown with a short, chestnut-colored head of feathers. The beak is relatively short and relatively wide for a heron. The upper beak is dark brown. The lower bill is yellow. The irises are yellow. The sides of the neck are yellow-brown, the top of the body is pale maroon in color. Separated from this are the darker wings with the blackish hand wings, which have a broad reddish-brown tip. The underside of the body is brown with darker longitudinal stripes. The flanks are a bit mottled. The legs are black and green.
Distribution area and habitat
The red-headed heron is restricted to Japan as a breeding bird. During the winter months it is also found in southern China, on some Indonesian islands and in the Philippines. The migration to the wintering areas begins at the end of October. The birds return to the breeding areas between March and May.
The red-headed heron is a nocturnal species tied to the forest. It occurs exclusively on rivers and swamps, the edges of which are densely forested. These habitats have become very rare in Japan; accordingly, the heron disappeared from many of its traditional breeding areas during the 1980s and 1990s. During the wintering phase it seems to have similar habitat requirements.
Way of life
The food spectrum of the red-headed heron mainly includes crustaceans and other crustaceans. There are also insects, earthworms and small fish. Its breeding season falls from May to July. The nest is built in tall trees. It is not a colony breeder: even with suitable habitat conditions, the nests are at least 250 meters apart. The breeding biology is largely unexplored. A clutch consists of three to four eggs. The breeding season is 17 to 20 days and the fledglings appear to be fledged at 35 to 37 days.
supporting documents
Single receipts
literature
- James A. Kushlan & James A. Hancock: Herons . Oxford University Press, 2005, ISBN 0-19-854981-4
Web links
- Gorsachius goisagi inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved November 21, 2013.