| Pied Heron | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Pelecaniformes |
| Family: | Ardeidae |
| Genus: | Ardea |
| Species: | A. picata |
| Binomial name | |
| Ardea picata (Gould, 1845)[1] |
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| Distribution. Green: year-round breeding, blue: nonbreeding. | |
| Synonyms | |
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The Pied Heron (Ardea picata), also known as the Pied Egret[3] is a bird found in coastal and subcoastal areas of monsoonal northern Australia as well as some parts of Wallacea and New Guinea.
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The species was originally described by ornithologist John Gould in 1845. Some taxonomists put this species in the genus Egretta. There are no recognised subspecies.[4]
It is a small heron, 43–55 cm long, with dark slaty wings, body, and crested head, with a white throat and neck. The appearance is similar to the White-necked Heron.[3] Males (247–280 g) are heavier than females (225–242 g), but the two are similar in appearance.[5]
Immature birds lack the crest as well as the dark colouring on the head and may look like small versions of the White-necked Heron. The juveniles were once classified as a separate species.[5]
Its habitat mainly comprises a range of wetlands and wet grasslands.
The call of the Pied Heron is a loud 'awk' or 'ohrk' in flight.[3] Soft cooing is given around the nest.[5] Little else is known about vocalisations.[5]
Breeding takes place from February to May.[3] It nests in trees above the water, including mangroves, often colonially with other species of heron. 1–2 blue-green eggs are laid in a shallow platform of sticks.[3]
It feeds on insects, frogs, crabs, fish and other small aquatic animals. Insects are the most important source of food.[5] It may feed alone or in groups of up to a thousand individuals.[5]