Scientific name: Ardea alba (Linnaeus, 1758)
Bird group: Bitterns and Herons
Field characters. 85-102 cm. Large, slender, immaculate white heron, with long thin neck and long plumes on upper breast and base of neck; no plumes on head. Loose white plumes also on scapulars when breeding, extending over back. Legs and toes black; bill yellow during most of the year, but black with yellow base in breeding season. Juveniles like non-breeding adults, but without plumes.
Voice. Occasionally a croaking note; more vocal at colony, where uttering a number of cawing sounds.
Distribution. Breeds solitary or in small colonies; rare.
Habitat. Breeds in extensive, dense reedbeds or other tall aquatic vegetation, or in shrubs or low trees. Forages in lowland meadows, marshes, depressions, floodlands, etc.
Food. Diet varies with time of year; in the wet season consists mainly of fish and aquatic insects, in the dry season small mammals and terrestrial insects. In shallow water, prey is taken after slowly stalking with body held horizontally, or after standing motionless with stiff neck and leaning forward, thus waiting for prey to come within striking distance.
Eggs. Unmarked, ground colour pale blue. Texture often with very fine lengthwise grooves, not glossy. Shape variable but usually long subelliptical (fusiform). Size 61 x 43 mm (54-68 x 40-46), weight 44-53 g.