From Opus

Ixobrychus sinensis

Photo by Romy Ocon
Location:Candaba Swamp, Pampanga Province, Philippines

[edit] Identification

38cm. Dull yellow above and buff below, chestnut head and neck, black crown, short neck and longish bill. Female's crown, neck and breast are streaked brown, and the juvenile is like the female but heavily streaked brown below, and mottled with buff above.

[edit] Distribution

Breeds throughout the Indian Subcontinent and on Sri Lanka and north-east to northern China, Korea, Sakhalin and Japan and south through Indochina, Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia to New Guinea. Also breeds in the Seychelles. Resident in much of range but a summer visitor present April-October in northern China and Japan. Wintering range mainly within breeding range of southern birds but becomes more widespread in Indonesia. Recorded as a vagrant in Australia. Accidental vagrant to Attu Island, Alaska.

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Habitat

Marshy areas with dense vegetation, often reedbeds and paddyfields. sometimes mangroves.

[edit] Behaviour

They nest on platforms of reeds in shrubs and 4-6 eggs are laid.

The diet includes insects, fish and amphibians.

[edit] External Links

• View more images of this species on Orientalbirdimages