Purple Heron/Corr Chorcra (Ardea purpurea)
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The purple heron (Ardea purpurea) is a wide-ranging species of wading bird in the heron family, Ardeidae. It breeds in Africa, central and southern Europe, and southern and eastern Asia.
It is similar in appearance to the more common grey heron but is slightly smaller, more slender and has darker plumage. It is also a more evasive bird, favouring densely vegetated habitats near water, particularly reed beds.
Purple herons are colonial breeders and build a bulky nest out of dead reeds or sticks close to the water' edge among reeds or in dense vegetation. The International Union for Conservation of Nature notes that the global population trend is downwards, largely because of the drainage of wetlands, but assesses the purple heron's conservation status as being of "least concern". (wikipedia)
I stumbled upon a few Purple Herons during my holiday in Portugal in the summer of 2024. I usually saw them not long after dawn and tried to avoid the heat haze, which was criminal after 9am. I saw my first Purple Heron in Garretstown, Cork, Ireland in 1987 with Jim Wilson! A rare bird for Ireland then.
Purple Heron/Corr Chorcra (Ardea purpurea)
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The purple heron (Ardea purpurea) is a wide-ranging species of wading bird in the heron family, Ardeidae. It breeds in Africa, central and southern Europe, and southern and eastern Asia.
It is similar in appearance to the more common grey heron but is slightly smaller, more slender and has darker plumage. It is also a more evasive bird, favouring densely vegetated habitats near water, particularly reed beds.
Purple herons are colonial breeders and build a bulky nest out of dead reeds or sticks close to the water' edge among reeds or in dense vegetation. The International Union for Conservation of Nature notes that the global population trend is downwards, largely because of the drainage of wetlands, but assesses the purple heron's conservation status as being of "least concern". (wikipedia)
I stumbled upon a few Purple Herons during my holiday in Portugal in the summer of 2024. I usually saw them not long after dawn and tried to avoid the heat haze, which was criminal after 9am. I saw my first Purple Heron in Garretstown, Cork, Ireland in 1987 with Jim Wilson! A rare bird for Ireland then.