• 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.

White-eared Night Heron - BirdForum Opus


Stub.png This article is incomplete.
This article is missing one or more sections. You can help the BirdForum Opus by expanding it.
Stub.png


Photo by James Eaton
Ba-Be, Northern Vietnam, March 2012
Oroanassa magnifica

Gorsachius magnificus

Identification

54-56 cm. Black head and nape plumes, white postocular stripe, cheek-stripe and throat, broad black line down neck side, brown underparts with whitish streaks/scales and orange-buff to rufous-chestnut rear neck sides. Females - less distinct head and neck pattern, whitish streaks and spots on back and wings and shorter nape plumes. Juvenile resembles female, but dark parts of plumage browner, has heavier whitish to buff spots above.

Distribution

Very rare and little known. Restricted to isolated pockets of limestone hill forest in eastern and south-eastern China, including Hainan, and north-eastern Vietnam, although nocturnal habits and secretive behaviour make accurate assessment of current range and status problematic. Recorded in Anhui, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangxi-Zhuangzu in mainland China, and recently discovered in adjacent Bắc Kạn Province in NE Vietnam, where it is now known to breed in Ba Be National Park. Seasonal movements unknown, although there is a suggestion that it is at least partly migratory, with winter movements to Hainan.

Taxonomy

Habitat

Dense hill forest close to streams, rivers, reservoirs and rice-fields.

Behaviour

The diet includes small fish, shrimps and invertebrates.

It is active mainly at night.

3-5 eggs are laid.

References

Clements, J. F., P. C. Rasmussen, T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, A. Spencer, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2023. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2023. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/


External Links

Back
Top