Species:

Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)

Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides)

Change species:
Main Images:
Next species:
Prev species:
Length (cm):
78-90
44-47
Wingspan (cm):
120-150
80-92
Weight (gram):
525-1218
230-370
Size group:
Bigger than a crow
Crow-size
Main Texts:
Appearance:

Most similar to Grey Heron but leaves a much darker impression, has a slimmer body, neck and wings. The bill is markedly thinner and is almost level with the flat forehead. Adult birds have black longitudinal stripes along the rufous sides of the neck, and a black crown. Immature birds have more diffuse streaking, and are sandy brown instead of grey. Coverts are also brownish, and partially remains in first summer birds. In flight the dark underwings of adult birds are obvious. The folded neck creates a bigger and more angular bulge and the very long toes are often sprawled. More secretive behaviour than Grey Heron.

Sound:

Quite similar to Grey Heron, but not so vocal. Pitch slightly higher and remains stable throughout the short call. Volume muffled and timbre drier.

Call:

Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file


Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Appearance:

This species is UNPUBLISHED. Description is not yet completed. You can help give priority to this or other species by voting here.

Sound:

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

CC

Similar species (image):
Similar species (sound):
Silhouette Group:
Heron-like
Silhouette
Heron-like
Silhouette
Several different images of the species
ImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImage
ImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImage
Several different sounds of the species