LH.ME.08.17.04.4709

Striated or Little Heron (Butorides striatus)

 

Also called Little Heron, this small heron does not appear to have the long neck of other herons, although they can stretch its neck pretty far out. Adult has a grey plumage with black cap and head plume. Sexes similar. Juvenile has streaked brown plumage. May be confused with juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron, but can be differentiated by the more elongated shape of the latter. A very noisy bird when disturbed. Very common along water edges in Singapore. It is always interesting to watch this bird using bait for fishing. The bird drops a piece of bread (or insect, etc) on to the water surface and waits patiently for a fish to show up right in front of it.

 

Very common resident breeder, winter visitor

Local subspecies: javanicus

Height: 40-46 cm

Habitat: River, pond, coast, mudflat, mangrove

Distribution: Asia, Africa, Australia

Breeding: Year round in tropic; summer months in the East Asia

Nest: Flimsy stick nest in tree or bush near water

Diet: Small fish, crab, amphibian, insect, whatever they can catch

 

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