Indian Pond Heron (Ardeola grayii)

Identification

Adult Breeding: Head and neck light buffy-brown, Long head plumes, Scapulars and Mantle redish-chocolate brown. White Throat, Greater Upper Coverts slightly buff.

Adult Non-breeding and Juvenile: Indistinguishable from other Pond Herons in Non-breeding/Juvenile Plumage.

Distribution

Iran, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal, Burma and on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Taxonomy

Monotypic, Superspecies with A. bacchus, A. speciosa and perhaps A. idae.

Habitat

Usually freshwater, sometimes brackish lagoons or on coastal mudflats.

Behaviour

They usually feed at the edge of ponds but make extensive use of floating vegetation such as Water hyacinth to access deeper water. They may also on occasion swim on water or fish from the air and land in deeper waters. They have also been observed to fly and capture fishes leaping out of water. Sometimes, they fly low over water to drive frogs and fishes towards the shore before settling along the shoreline.

The breeding season is prior to the Monsoons. They nest in small colonies, often with other wading birds, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. Most nests are built at a height of about 9 to 10 m and in large leafy trees. The nest material is collected by the male while the female builds the nest. 3-5 eggs are laid. The eggs hatch asynchronously, taking 18 to 24 days to hatch. Both parents feed the young. Fish are the main diet fed to young. Nest sites that are not disturbed may be reused year after year.

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