Purple Heron

Latin Name: 
Ardea purpurea
Size: 
100cm
Description: 

Sexes alike. A slendernecked, lanky bird. Slaty-purple above; black crown with long, drooping crest; rufous neck with prominent black stripe along its length; white chin and throat; deep slaty and chestnut below breast; almost black on wings and tail; crest and breast plumes less developed in female. Solitary; crepuscular; extremely shy but master of patience; freezes and hides amidst marsh reeds; when flushed, flies with neck outstretched. Active in early mornings.

Habitat: 
open marshes, reedcovered lakes, riversides.
Food: 
mostly fish.
Distribution: 
mostly resident, though numbers in some areas increase during winter because of migrants; subcontinent, south of Himalayan foothills.
Call: 
Call Description: 
a harsh croak; sometime a high-pitched frank.
National Status: