Pixlab.co.za
Rooireier (1)
Alternative Names:
English (Rob 6): Purple Heron
English (Rob 7): Purple Heron
German: Purpurreiher
French: Héron pourpré
Indigenous: Ucofuza(X),Undofu(X),Gomugeha(K),Kokolofitoe(SS),Rikolwa(Ts),Kôkôlôhutwê(Tw),
Scientific Explained:
ardea: Latin, a heron.
purpurea/purpureus: Latin, purple.
Measurements: Length about 89 cm; wing (13 male) 357-371-383, (9 female) 337-355-372; tail (13 male) 118-125-136, (8 female) 112-119-127; tarsus (13 male) 113-122-131, (8 female) 112-118-125; culmen (13 male) 120-126-131. Weight (17) 525-920,2-1218 g.
Bare Parts: Iris yellow; bill buffy brown above with yellow base, buffy horn below with yellow tip; legs and feet dark brown with yellow behind tarsus and on soles of feet.
Identification: Medium-sized, slender build; bill very slim; above brownish grey with black crown and rufous neck, striped black at sides; below rufous and black; legs and bill look yellowish in the field; in flight neck has distinct downward bulge. Immature: Browner than adult, mottled and streaked; crown rufous; stripes on neck faint or absent.
Voice: Harsh kwaak or kreek on take-off; various other guttural croaks, clacks and whoops.
Distribution: Africa, Madagascar, Eurasia; most of s Africa, except dry west; vagrant to Windhoek and Hardap Dam.
Status: Mostly uncommon; may be common locally; resident.
Habitat: Inland and estuarine waters with dense reedbeds and other aquatic vegetation.
Habits: Solitary feeder, wading or standing in marshy places, often with bill and neck held horizontally. Shy and seldom seen until it takes off, usually with squawk. In flight legs look very long; about 114 wingbeats/minute. When alarmed may adopt upright "bittern posture" with bill pointing vertically and neck stripes giving excellent camouflage in reeds. Feeds by day or night. Roosts communally in reedbeds.
Food: Mostly fish; also frogs, small reptiles, birds (weavers, ducklings) and small mammals.
Breeding: Season: August to March in Transvaal (peak December), August to April in Zimbabwe; mainly spring and summer months in s Africa. Nest: Loosely made platform (about 35 cm diameter, 18 cm thick) of reeds and rushes on base of stems pulled down from surrounding vegetation; sometimes in small bush, mangrove or other tree up to 4 m above water; solitary or in small colonies, sometimes in mixed heronries. Clutch: (192) 2-2,3-5 eggs. Eggs: Pointed ovals, pale blue or greenish blue; measure (171) 55,8 x 40,1 (49,7-67,5 x 37-45); weigh (35) 39-47,4-59 g. Incubation: (31) 25-25,7-27 days by both sexes, starting with first egg. Nestling: About 24 days; flies at 30-35 days; fed by both parents.
Ref. Tomlinson, D.N.S. 1974. Ostrich 45:175-181; 209-223; 1975. Ostrich 46:157-165.
Rooireier (1)
Alternative Names:
English (Rob 6): Purple Heron
English (Rob 7): Purple Heron
German: Purpurreiher
French: Héron pourpré
Indigenous: Ucofuza(X),Undofu(X),Gomugeha(K),Kokolofitoe(SS),Rikolwa(Ts),Kôkôlôhutwê(Tw),
Scientific Explained:
ardea: Latin, a heron.
purpurea/purpureus: Latin, purple.
Measurements: Length about 89 cm; wing (13 male) 357-371-383, (9 female) 337-355-372; tail (13 male) 118-125-136, (8 female) 112-119-127; tarsus (13 male) 113-122-131, (8 female) 112-118-125; culmen (13 male) 120-126-131. Weight (17) 525-920,2-1218 g.
Bare Parts: Iris yellow; bill buffy brown above with yellow base, buffy horn below with yellow tip; legs and feet dark brown with yellow behind tarsus and on soles of feet.
Identification: Medium-sized, slender build; bill very slim; above brownish grey with black crown and rufous neck, striped black at sides; below rufous and black; legs and bill look yellowish in the field; in flight neck has distinct downward bulge. Immature: Browner than adult, mottled and streaked; crown rufous; stripes on neck faint or absent.
Voice: Harsh kwaak or kreek on take-off; various other guttural croaks, clacks and whoops.
Distribution: Africa, Madagascar, Eurasia; most of s Africa, except dry west; vagrant to Windhoek and Hardap Dam.
Status: Mostly uncommon; may be common locally; resident.
Habitat: Inland and estuarine waters with dense reedbeds and other aquatic vegetation.
Habits: Solitary feeder, wading or standing in marshy places, often with bill and neck held horizontally. Shy and seldom seen until it takes off, usually with squawk. In flight legs look very long; about 114 wingbeats/minute. When alarmed may adopt upright "bittern posture" with bill pointing vertically and neck stripes giving excellent camouflage in reeds. Feeds by day or night. Roosts communally in reedbeds.
Food: Mostly fish; also frogs, small reptiles, birds (weavers, ducklings) and small mammals.
Breeding: Season: August to March in Transvaal (peak December), August to April in Zimbabwe; mainly spring and summer months in s Africa. Nest: Loosely made platform (about 35 cm diameter, 18 cm thick) of reeds and rushes on base of stems pulled down from surrounding vegetation; sometimes in small bush, mangrove or other tree up to 4 m above water; solitary or in small colonies, sometimes in mixed heronries. Clutch: (192) 2-2,3-5 eggs. Eggs: Pointed ovals, pale blue or greenish blue; measure (171) 55,8 x 40,1 (49,7-67,5 x 37-45); weigh (35) 39-47,4-59 g. Incubation: (31) 25-25,7-27 days by both sexes, starting with first egg. Nestling: About 24 days; flies at 30-35 days; fed by both parents.
Ref. Tomlinson, D.N.S. 1974. Ostrich 45:175-181; 209-223; 1975. Ostrich 46:157-165.