Purple heron

Ardea purpurea
Herons (Ardeidae)

CC-BY-SA 2.0 rights : Lip Kee Yap

A large dark heron with a pinkish head, yellow beak and thin rust brown neck with a long black line and a grey back. The wing under surface is pinkish at the front with grey on the rear.  The front upper surface is purple-grey with a black rear edge. Some lighter markings at the wing edges. Young initially are brown. 

Flies with a bent neck and extended legs. Rarely in open terrain, it mostly hides among the reeds. Breeds in colonies with other species. 

⇔ l. 78-80 cm

This migratory bird is wintering in Africa and returning to the same breeding grounds in spring.

LA:
≈ The ARDEA CINEREA (Grey heron) has no brown colouring and while flying the bent neck is thicker and the legs extend less.

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