Purple Heron

The purple heron (Ardea purpurea) is a wide-ranging species of wading bird in the heron family, Ardeidae. The scientific name comes from Latin ardea "heron", and purpureus, "coloured purple".[2] It breeds in Africa, central and southern Europe, and southern and eastern Asia. The Western Palearctic populations migrate between breeding and wintering habitats whereas the African and tropical-Asian populations are primarily sedentary, except for occasional dispersive movements.

Scientific Name : Ardea Purpurea

Family : Ardeidae

Order : Pelecaniformes

Class : Aves

Type : Bitterns, Herons And Egrets

Conservation Status : Least concern (LC)

Size : 78 – 97 cm

Compare Size : Kite +

Wingspan : 120 – 152 cm

Weight : 500 to 1350 g

Migratory : Resident

Sex Alike : Yes

Nesting Season : June - March. Depending on locality.

Other Names :

Hindi : बैंजनी अंजन

Marathi : जांभळा बगळा

Habitat:
marshes, lagoons and lakes surrounded by dense vegetation, may also visit mudflats, river banks, ditches and canals or sometimes mangrove swamps on the coast

Breeding:
4 - 5 eggs

Feeding:
fish, small mammals and amphibians, nestling birds, snakes, lizards, crustaceans, water snails, insects and spiders


Identification Features

Male & Female
Forehead black
Crown black
Neck reddish-brown with black stripe running along the length on back and sides of neck; stripe on back of neck is broad while that on sides in thin; has elongated feathers at the base
Chin white
Crest very short and slender
Mantle oily-brown
Scapulars upper scapular feathers elongated
Upperparts brownish-grey except mantle
Breast chestnut-brown, with some blackening at the side
Belly black
Uppertail Converts black
Bill brownish-yellow; brighter in colour in breeding adults
Iris yellow
Legs brown at the front and yellowish behind
Note :
slender bird
Juvenile
Note :
over all brown with a small amount of black on the crown and nape. Also lacks crest, black stripes along the neck and elongated feathers at base of neck

Gallery

SIGHTINGS

Date Location
2018-11-14 14 Nov 2018 Bird Watching Area, Bhandup West, Mumbai, Maharashtra
2019-01-31 31 Jan 2019 Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Rajasthan
2019-02-01 01 Feb 2019 Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Rajasthan

Similar Birds

(Bitterns, Herons And Egrets)