Striated Heron

Striated Heron

Scientific Name: Butorides striata

Malay Name: Pucung-Bakau Biasa

Chinese Name: 绿鹭

Alternative Name(s): Little Heron

Range: Found from South America, Australia, Africa, Indian subcontinent, southern China, Japan, Korea to Southeast Asia with some northern populations winter to the south.

Taxonomy: Polytypic. Subspecies are: striata, atricapilla, brevipes, crawfordi, rhizophorae, rutenbergi, degens, albolimbata, amurensis, actophila, javanica, spodiogaster, steini, moluccarum, papuensis, idenburgi, flyensis, stagnatilis, macrorhyncha, solomonensis, patruelis.

Local Subspecies: javanica

Size: 40-48 cm

Identification: Adult has mostly slaty grey plumage with blackish crown and long black nape-plumes, blackish bill with yellow base at lower mandible and yellowish-orange legs. Juvenile resembles Black-crowned Night Heron but has darker brown overall plumage, dark brownish crown and longer and slimmer bill.

Similar looking species: Black-crowned Night Heron

Habitat: Marshes, mangroves, waterbodies near parks/gardens and coastal areas.

Behaviour/Ecology:

Local Status: Common resident

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2022 Butorides striata)

Location: Sungei Buloh, Singapore Botanic Gardens, Pasir Ris Park, Lorong Halus, West Coast Park, Jurong Eco Garden, Jurong Lake Park, Pulau Ubin and any suitable patch of habitat.

References:

BirdLife International 2022. Butorides striata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022.. Accessed on 1 January 2023

Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.

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