Purple Heron
Large heron with rusty head and streaky neck. blueish grey above with
rufous head and neck; black and chestnut below. Bright purple in direct
sunlight. Immature birds uniform cinnamon brown. Adults have the forehead and
the crown of the head black, with a dark stripe down the back of the neck that
terminates in a slender, dangling crest. The brownish-yellow beak is long,
straight and powerful, and is brighter in colour in breeding adults.
Local Names : Lal anjan (Hindi)
Peria vellai kokku (Tamil)
Perumunti (Malayalam)
It is similar in appearance to the more common grey heron but is slightly
smaller, more slender and has darker plumage. The purple heron inhabits
marshes, lagoons and lakes surrounded by dense vegetation. It may frequent
mangrove swamps on the coast but it usually chooses freshwater habitats,
particularly locations with reed beds.
It hunts for a range of prey including fish, rodents, frogs and insects,
either stalking them or standing waiting in ambush. Purple herons are
colonial breeders and build a bulky nest out of dead reeds or sticks close to
the water' edge among reeds or in dense vegetation. About five bluish-green
eggs are laid and are incubated by both birds. The young hatch about four
weeks later and fledge six weeks after that.
References
The Book of Indian Birds (Salim Ali)
Wikipedia
Pictures:
Kaikondrahalli lake, Bangalore (2018)
No comments:
Post a Comment