From Opus

Photo by Steve G
Abuko, The Gambia, March 2005

Egretta ardesiaca

[edit] Identification

42-66cm
Small compact egret

• Black, or dark slate plumage
• Bill and legs: black
• Feet varies from yellow, through orangey-yellow to orange, sometimes with black scales.

• During breeding feet may be redder

• Yellow iris

Photo by nkgray
Marievale wetland, Gauteng, South Africa, December 2005

Juvenile

• Iris: dark brown
• Bill: dark horn or black
• Legs: dark grey
• Feet: dullish orange-yellow

[edit] Similar Species

Smaller than Western Reef Heron and can be distiguished from that and a melanistic Little Egret in flight by faster wing beats and feeding method (see Behaviour)

[edit] Distribution

Sub-Saharan Africa: breeds widely but discontinuously from Senegal to Sudan and south, mainly through the eastern half of the continent, to South Africa.

Probably dispersive rather than migratory, perhaps nomadic in response to rains in some areas.

[edit] Taxonomy

Monotypic^[1]

[edit] Habitat

Lake margins and riverbanks, tidal creeks, rice fields and flooded grasslands.

Typical hunting behaviour
Photo by safariranger
Olifants Bridge, Kruger National Park, South Africa, March 2003

[edit] Behaviour

This bird has a distinctive hunting method. It forms an umbrella with its wings and catches the fish which are drawn to the shade.

[edit] Diet

The diet includes small fish, aquatic insects and crustaceans.

[edit] Breeding

The two to four blue eggs are laid in a twig nest which is placed in a tree, bush or reed bed.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.
2. Wikipedia
3. BWPi
4. BWP Concise

• List of references

[edit] External Links