Ardea purpurea manilensis

(Meyen, 1834)

Vernacular names
English : Purple heron
French : Héron pourpré

Classification
Class : Aves
Order : Pelecaniformes
Family : Ardeidae
Notes : 3 other subspecies known.

Identification
Adults can grow to 90 cm in length for a weight of 1.2 kg. Black crown with short crest. Very slender rufous neck with black stripes, long bill. Wings dark grey with hints of purple and brown, dark belly. Subspecies lighter colored on neck.

Range and habitat
Subspecies found from India to China, south to Indonesia. The species occurs from Europe and subsaharan Africa to eastern Asia. Lives in open freshwater swamps, shallow water, mangroves, mudflats, to 2000 m.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : LEAST CONCERN
CITES : Not Listed
Status : The species is widespread and locally common. Cape Verde subspecies on the verge of extinction, locally threatened by hunting and habitat loss.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation

 

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