• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Heron. Kazakhstan. (1 Viewer)

Askar Isabekov

Askar Isabekov

Well-known member
This Heron was observed one week ago on Sorbulak lake near Almaty, South-Eastern Kazakhstan. There are two opinions - Squacco Heron and Chinese Pond Heron. The Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) is common bird but in Western Kazakhstan mostly. Chinese Pond Heron (Ardeola bacchus) was observed in Issyk-Kul lake (Kyrgyzstan) three years ago. The distance between Issyk-Kul and Sorbulak lakes is about 200 km. Please help to id this bird.
 

Attachments

  • ard377.jpg
    ard377.jpg
    35.7 KB · Views: 194
  • ard379.jpg
    ard379.jpg
    24 KB · Views: 77
  • ard380.jpg
    ard380.jpg
    24.7 KB · Views: 108
  • ard381.jpg
    ard381.jpg
    23.6 KB · Views: 81
  • ard383.jpg
    ard383.jpg
    23.9 KB · Views: 90
Askar Isabekov

What is the status of Indian Pond Heron there I could not find it on your species list - am 99.99% certain of this ID the patternation on the back is diagnostic
 
Howard King said:
Askar Isabekov

What is the status of Indian Pond Heron there I could not find it on your species list - am 99.99% certain of this ID the patternation on the back is diagnostic
Click to expand...

Thanks Howard.

Yes, both Indian and Chinese Pond Herons weren't observed in Kazakhstan former. The bird on the photos is the first shoot.
 
Askar Isabekov said:
Howard, please tell me when I can find the description of Indian Pond Heron on the net.
Click to expand...

Hi Askar

If you go to my blog and type pond heron in the 'Search' box, you should be able to find pictures of all Chinese, Indian and Chinese. Separation of Indian from Javan is not always easy, even in breeding plumage, but I would agree that your pics show Indian Pond Heron,

Dave
 
Dave B said:
Hi Askar

If you go to my blog and type pond heron in the 'Search' box, you should be able to find pictures of all Chinese, Indian and Chinese. Separation of Indian from Javan is not always easy, even in breeding plumage, but I would agree that your pics show Indian Pond Heron,

Dave
Click to expand...

Hi Dave.

Thanks to your help. But I want to find not photos but description of the Indian Pond Heron. Unfortunatelly I didn't find any information about the pattern of the back Howard wrote.

Askar.
 
Askar - have seen both species - they can be problematic at other times of the year but your bird is in summer plumage it has white plumes down the back from the neck showing as the short white central line - Squacco does not have these their plumes are coloured much like the rest of the head. The dark chocolate brown back contrast heavily with colour of head and neck and the flanking sides not so obvious in summer plumage Squacco which is much lighter in colour of tanish browns - Hope this helps others no doubt like Rockfowl and Dave B can add to this I am sure
 
Howard King said:
your bird is in summer plumage it has white plumes down the back from the neck showing as the short white central line - Squacco does not have these their plumes are coloured much like the rest of the head.
Click to expand...

Not doubting the rest of your criteria and subsequent ID here Howard, but not sure I'd entirely agree with this statement - a couple of pics showing white plumes contrasting with colour of head
 

Attachments

  • squacco.JPG
    squacco.JPG
    76.9 KB · Views: 54
  • squacco heron1.JPG
    squacco heron1.JPG
    148.8 KB · Views: 59
Can't say what they look like elsewhere but have looked very carefully at the Squacco we currently have here - their plumes are a I described, they show only the slightest hint of white, but obviously as your pictures clearly show Squacco plumes can be much more prominent - However on our birds in flight and maybe its because of our much strong light these hardly show up at all. Whereas when ever I have seen Indian Pond Herons in breeding plumage the white plumes are always prominently in other words they stand out.
 
Last edited:
very dark back and yellowish bill base however exclude squacco heron.
i agree on indian pond heron. congratulations - it seems that it is a first for kasakhstan.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 15 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

D
ID help needed 2 raptors and a heron - Bolivia
Replies
6
Views
669
David_
D
dwatsonbirder
Lake Kerkini and surronds
2
Replies
23
Views
1K
dwatsonbirder
dwatsonbirder
Aladdin
Chinese Pond Heron - Bangkok March 2020
Replies
7
Views
844
Grahame Walbridge
G
gkamov
Nuthatch ID? (Bulgaria)
Replies
1
Views
698
Butty
B
Andrew Whitehouse
Our Man in Armenia (and Cyprus too)
2
Replies
34
Views
3K
Owene
O

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top