Indian pond heron explained

The Indian pond heron or paddybird (Ardeola grayii) is a small heron. It is of Old World origins, breeding in southern Iran and east to the Indian subcontinent, Burma, and Sri Lanka. They are widespread and common but can be easily missed when they stalk prey at the edge of small water-bodies or even when they roost close to human habitations.

They are distinctive when they take off, with bright white wings flashing in contrast to the cryptic streaked olive and brown colours of the body. Their camouflage is so excellent that they can be approached closely before they take to flight, a behaviour which has resulted in folk names and beliefs that the birds are short-sighted or blind.

Description

Indian pond herons are stocky with short necks, short thick bills and buff-brown backs. In summer, adults have long neck feathers. Their appearance is transformed from dull colours when they take to flight and the white of the wings makes them very prominent. They are very similar to the squacco herons, Ardeola ralloides, but darker backed. To the east of their range, they are replaced by the Chinese pond herons, Ardeola bacchus.

During the breeding season, there are records of individuals with red legs. The numbers do not suggest that this is a normal change for adults during the breeding season and some have suggested the possibility of it being genetic variants.[1] [2] [3] [4]

Erythristic plumage has been noted.[5] The race phillipsi has been suggested for the populations found in the Maldives, without much acceptance.[6] It forms a superspecies with the closely related Chinese pond heron, Javan pond heron and the Madagascar pond heron.

They are usually silent but may make a harsh croak in alarm when flushed or near their nests.[6]

This bird was first described by Colonel W. H. Sykes in 1832 and given its scientific name in honour of John Edward Gray. Karyology studies indicate that pond herons have 68 chromosomes (2N).[7]

Behaviour and ecology

They are very common in India, and are usually solitary foragers but numbers of them may sometimes feed in close proximity during the dry seasons when small wetlands have a high concentration of prey. They are semi-colonial breeders. They may also forage at garbage heaps. During dry seasons, they sometimes take to foraging on well watered lawns or even dry grassland. When foraging, they allow close approach and flush only at close range. They sometimes form communal roosts, often in avenue trees over busy urban areas.[8]

Food and feeding

The Indian pond heron's feeding habitat is marshy wetlands. They usually feed at the edge of ponds but make extensive use of floating vegetation such as water hyacinth to access deeper water. They may also on occasion swim on water or fish from the air and land in deeper waters.[9] [10] [11] [12] They have also been observed to fly and capture fishes leaping out of water.[13] [14] Sometimes, they fly low over water to drive frogs and fishes towards the shore before settling along the shoreline.[15] They have been noted to pick up crumbs of bread and drop them on the water surface to bait fishes.[16]

The primary food of these birds includes crustaceans, aquatic insects, fishes, tadpoles and sometimes leeches (Herpobdelloides sp.).[17] Outside wetlands, these herons feed on insects (including crickets, dragonflies[18] and bees[19]), fish (Barilius noted as important in a study in Chandigarh) and amphibians.[20]

Breeding

The breeding season begins with the onset of the monsoons. They nest in small colonies, often with other wading birds, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. Most nests are built at a height of about 9 to 10 m in large leafy trees. The nest material is collected by the male while the female builds the nest. Three to five eggs are laid.[21] The eggs hatch asynchronously, taking 18 to 24 days to hatch. Both parents feed the young.[22] Fish are the main diet fed to young.[23] Nest sites that are not disturbed may be reused year after year.[24]

Mortality factors

They have few predators but injured birds may be taken by birds of prey.[25]

An arbovirus that causes "Balagodu", trematodes[26] and several other parasites have been isolated from the species.[27] [28] [29] [30] [31] Antibodies to Japanese encephalitis and West Nile virus has been detected in pond herons and cattle egrets from southern India.[32] Traces of heavy metals acquired from feeding in polluted waters may be particularly concentrated in the tail feathers.[33]

In culture

The habit of standing still and flushing only at the last moment has led to widespread folk beliefs that they are semi-blind and their name in many languages includes such suggestions. In Sri Lanka the bird is called kana koka which translates as "half-blind heron" in the Sinhala language. The Hindustani phrase "bagla bhagat" has been used to describe a "wolf in sheep's clothing" or a hypocrite appearing like a meditating saint[34] and occurs in a Marathi proverb.[35] The paddy-bird also appears as a character in the Hitopadesha where, in one story, it takes injury to itself to save a king.[36] The bird was noted by Anglo-Indian naturalist-writers for the surprising transformation in colours. Phil Robinson described the bird as one that sits all dingy gray and flies all white.[37] It is said to have been eaten by many in India in former times.[38]

During the height of the plume trade, feathers were collected from the "paddy bird" and exported to Britain.[39]

Other sources

External links

https://youtube.com/shorts/ERoGeDemBb8?si=IIiWWdzQbYTseh3u

https://youtube.com/shorts/aQQRFKcWmj0?si=OU5wTigt75NXAWI-

Notes and References

  1. Gopisundar, K. S.. 2004. Abundance and seasonality of Indian Pond Herons Ardeola grayii with red legs in Uttar Pradesh, India. Forktail. 20. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20071011063550/http://www.orientalbirdclub.org/publications/forktail/20pdfs/Sundar-PondHeron.pdf. 2007-10-11.
  2. Abdulali, H.. Humayun Abdulali. Alexander, H. G.. Horace Alexander. amp. 1952. Ardeidae with red legs. Ibis. 94. 363. 10.1111/j.1474-919X.1952.tb01829.x. 2.
  3. Wesley, H. D.. 1993. Genetics of the red tarsi and feet in the Pond Heron. . 33. 4. 73.
  4. Distribution and extent of Pond Herons Ardeola grayii with red legs in India. Sundar, Gopi KS. Indian Birds. 1. 5. 108–115. 2005.
  5. Parasharya, BM. 1983. An erythristic pond heron. Pavo. 21. 1&2. 107–108.
  6. Book: Rasmussen, PC . JC Anderton. 2005. Birds of South Asia:The Ripley Guide. Smithsonian Institution & Lynx Edicions.
  7. M. K. Mohanty . S. P. Bhunya . Genetica. Karyological studies in four species of ardeid birds (Ardeldae, Ciconiiformes). 81. 3. 211–214. 1990. 10.1007/BF00360867. 29647762 .
  8. Gadgil, Madhav . Salim Ali. 1975. Communal roosting habits of Indian birds. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc.. 72. 3. 716–727.
  9. Chandra-Bose, DA. 1969. The Paddybird, Ardeola grayii (Sykes) floating on water . Pavo. 7. 1&2. 74–75.
  10. Neelakantan, KK. 1986. Pond heron afloat. . 26. 5–6. 11–13.
  11. Krishna, MB. 1978. Pond Herons. . 18. 10. 12.
  12. Muir, G.B.F. . 1916 . Paddy-birds Ardeola grayii fishing. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. . 24 . 2. 366–367.
  13. Grimwood, I.M .. Brocklehurst, M.J.C. . 1984 . Unusual feeding behaviour in the Paddy Bird or Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. . 81. 3. 696–697.
  14. Sivasubramanian, C. 1988 . Aerial feeding by Median Egret (Egretta intermedia), Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) and Pond Heron (Ardeola grayii) . J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc.. 85. 3. 611–612.
  15. Kirkpatrick, K. M.. 1953. Feeding habit of the Indian Pond Heron (Ardeola grayii). J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc.. 51. 2. 507.
  16. Active bait-fishing in Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii. Indian Birds . 10. 5. 124–125. 2015. Michel Antoine . Réglade. Mohammed E. . Dilawar . Ulhas . Anand.
  17. Mathew, DN . Narendran, TC . Zacharias, VJ . 1978. A comparative study of the feeding habits of certain species of Indian birds affecting agriculture. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. . 75. 4. 1178–1197.
  18. Indian pond-herons Ardeola grayii feeding on dragonflies. Santharam, V.. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 100. 1. 2003. 108.
  19. Prasad, JN . Hemanth, J . 1992. Pond Heron Ardeola grayii (Sykes) feeding on bees. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. . 89. 2. 246.
  20. Feeding ecology of Indian pond heron and its comparison with that of little egret. Sodhi, N.S.. Pavo. 24. 1&2. 97–112. 1986.
  21. Pandey, Deep Narayan. 1991. Nesting of the Pond Heron Ardeola grayii (Sykes) on Eucalyptus trees. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. . 88. 2. 281.
  22. Yesmin, R.. Rahman, K.. Haque, N.. amp. 2001. The breeding biology of the Pond Heron (Ardeola grayii Sykes) in captivity. Tigerpaper. 28. 1. 15–18.
  23. Begum, S.. 2003. Colonial nesting behavior in Indian Pond Heron (Ardeola grayii grayii) of Bangladesh. Zoos' Print Journal. 18. 6. 1113–1116. 10.11609/jott.zpj.18.6.1113-6. free. 2009-05-31. 2018-06-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20180603164302/http://www.zoosprint.org/ZooPrintJournal/2003/June/1113-1116.pdf. dead.
  24. Book: 63–64. Handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan. Ali, S. . S. D. Ripley. 1978. 1. 2nd. Oxford University Press. New Delhi.
  25. Navarro, A. 1962. Pale Harrier taking a Pond Heron. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc.. 59. 2. 653.
  26. Umadevi K . R. Madhavi . 2000. Observations on the morphology and life-cycle of Procerovum varium (Onji & Nishio, 1916) (Trematoda: Heterophyidae). Systematic Parasitology. 46. 3. 215–225. 10.1023/A:1006398205390. 10845654. 4497926 .
  27. Pavri K, Sheikh BH, Singh KR, Rajagopalan PK, Casals J . 1969. Balagodu virus, a new arbovirus isolated from Ardeola grayii (Sykes) in Mysore State, South India. Indian J Med Res. 57. 4. 758–64. 4979767.
  28. Pavri KM, Rajagopalan PK, Arnstein P . 1968. Isolation of Ornithosis bedsoniae from paddy birds, Ardeola grayii (Sykes), in Mysore State India. Indian J. Med. Res.. 56. 11. 1592–4. 5715959.
  29. On a new trematode of the genus Psilorchis (Psilostomidae Looss, 1900) from pond heron Ardeola grayii. Sahay S, Sahay U, Verma DK . Indian Journal of Parasitology. 1990. 14. 2. 203–205.
  30. The life history of Echinochasmus bagulai Verma 1935 (Trematoda, Echinostomatidae). Madhavi, R . Narasimha Rao, N . Rukmini, C . Acta Parasitologica Polonica. 34. 3. 259–265. 1989.
  31. Rivista di Parassitologia. 1971. 32. 2. 101–3. On the male of Avioserpens multipapillosa Singh, 1949 from Ardeola grayii. Deshmukh PG. 5166875.
  32. Indian J Med Res. 118. 2003. 101–108. West Nile virus: the Indian scenario. Paramasivan, R.. A.C. Mishra. D.T. Mourya. 14700342. 2008-09-23. 2016-03-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303234245/http://icmr.nic.in/ijmr/2003/0901.pdf. dead.
  33. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. 2004. 73. 2. 285–291. Muralidharan, S.. Jayakumar, R.. Vishnu, G. Heavy metals in feathers of six species of birds in the district Nilgiris, India. 10.1007/s00128-004-0425-x. 15386041. 26914063.
  34. Book: The modern Hindustani scholar of the Pucca munshi . 1919. Baptist Mission Press, Calcutta. Pahwa, Munshi Thakardass.
  35. Book: Manwaring, A.. 1899. Oxford. Clarendon Press. Marathi proverbs. 40.
  36. Book: The Book of Good Counsels from the Sanskrit of the Hitopadesa. Arnold, Edwin. 1893. W.H.Allen and Co.. London. 108.
  37. Book: 111, 235–239. Bombay Ducks. Dewar, Douglas. 1896. John Lane Company. London.
  38. Book: Bird friends and foes of the farmer. Bulletin NO. 81. 48. Susainathan, P.. Department of Agriculture. Madras. 1921.
  39. Book: The Commercial Products of India. Watt, George. 1908. John Murray. London. 139.

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