Herons from Thailand (1 Viewer)

D

Dlareg

Member

• Mar 9, 2025

• #1

Hello everyone,

I photographed these herons in Thailand.
I think picture 1-5 are Javan pond heron (Ardeola speciosa).
6+7 I don't know, maybe Chinese Pond Heron (Ardeola bacchus) ?
Can anyone confirm or correct my specifications?

Kind regards Gerald
www.instagram.com/dlareg__su/


1. Javan pond heron (Ardeola speciosa) (07.01.2025 - Cha-am)

2. Javan pond heron (Ardeola speciosa) (20.12.2024 - Ubon Ratchatani)

3. Javan pond heron (Ardeola speciosa) (27.12.2024 - Saraburi (province), Nong Mu)

4. Javan pond heron (Ardeola speciosa) (26.12.2024 - Saraburi (province), Nong Mu)

5. Javan pond heron (Ardeola speciosa) (26.12.2024 - Saraburi (province), Nong Mu)

6. Chinese pond heron (Ardeola bacchus) ??? (07.01.2025 - Cha-am)

7. Chinese pond heron (Ardeola bacchus) ??? (07.01.2025 - Cha-am)

 

G

Grahame Walbridge

Well-known member

• Mar 9, 2025

• #2

All still in full winter plumage i.e., no signs of pre-breeding moult so, all Ardeola sp. I'm afraid Gerald.

Grahame

 

D

Dlareg

Member

• Mar 9, 2025

• #3

Grahame Walbridge said:

All still in full winter plumage i.e., no signs of pre-breeding moult so, all Ardeola sp. I'm afraid Gerald.

Grahame

Click to expand...

Hello Grahame,

all of them are Ardeola speciosa, okay.
I wasn't sure about number 6 ...

Thank you very much !

 

foresttwitcher

Virtually unknown member

• Mar 9, 2025

• #4

Dlareg said:

all of them are Ardeola speciosa, okay.

Click to expand...

I don't wish to speak for Grahame, but I think he meant that in winter plumage it is difficult to tell Javan from Chinese so they are all Ardeola unidentifiable to species level.

 

G

Grahame Walbridge

Well-known member

• Mar 9, 2025

• #5

Dlareg said:

Hello Grahame,

all of them are Ardeola speciosa, okay.
I wasn't sure about number 6 ...

Thank you very much !

Click to expand...

No Gerald they are not Chinese, they are indistinguishable in winter plumage which all your birds are for sure. They need to show signs of pre-breeding moult to enable an ID, newly moulted maroon feathers to the head/neck in the case of Chinese, golden-yellow indicating Javan and sandy indicating (scarcer) Indian. To repeat, all are Ardeola sp. i.e Indian/Chinese/Javan.

Pre-breeding body moult normally takes place during Mar-Apr but exceptionally birds can show signs as early as late winter, in February
Pond Herons

Grahame

 

Last edited: Mar 9, 2025

D

Dlareg

Member

• Mar 9, 2025

• #6

hello,
I misunderstood. spp. and sp. like speciosa ..... I will file them like this Ardeola sp. Indian/Chinese/Javan.
Thanks for the correction

 

D

Dlareg

Member

• Mar 9, 2025

• #7

Dlareg said:

all of them are Ardeola speciosa, okay.

Click to expand...

I thought maybe you meant that they can't be determined, that was the reason I repeated it