ARDEA.
Large; never altogether white; bill strong, straight, pointed ; occiput crested or with a few long narrow feathers ; scapulars long but not to tip of wing ; frequent rivers, lakes, sea-shore, etc., feed on fish, frogs, insects ; breed in colonies on ground or trees ; eggs pale blue-green.
Ardea cinerea cinerea L. COMMON HERON. Fr. Heron huppe ; Ger. Fischreiher ; Ital. Airone cenerino ; Swed. Gra Hager.
? General colour grey ; crown white, black at sides ; central line of throat and chest white with black stripes, sides of abdomen black, centre white ; feathers of nape, lower neck, breast and scapulars elongated. Bill brown above, yellow below. Bare space round eye and iris yellow. Legs and greenish brown. \Ving 445-470. Tarsus 135-152. Bill 109-120.
Breeds.—British Isles ; Continental Europe from 64° N. in Norway and 6o° in Russia to Mediterranean ; Egypt, N.W. Africa, Azores, Madeira and Canaries ; also widely in Asia and Africa. Migratory in northern part of its breeding range, birds from N. Europe wintering in Mediterranean Basin and Africa. Resident in Britain.
Ardea purpurea purpurea L. PURPLE HERON. Fr.
Heron pourpre ; Ger. Purpurreiher ; Airone rosso.
e Above grey, scapulars with cinnamon tips ; crown of elongated feathers, line down sides of neck, centre of breast and abdomen black ; lower dorsal neck plumes creamy streaked black ; sides of breast and abdomen maroon. Bill brownish yellow. Legs and feet dark brown in front, yellowish behind. Iris golden yellow. \Ving 340-383. Tarsus 108-135. Bill 123-146. Young: no long plumes on crown, general colour reddish brown or dark buff, crown chestnut ; neck and breast striated dark grey, throat white.
Breeds.—Locally in Europe south from Holland, France and Hungary ; in S. Russia north to Pinsk Marshes and 48° on Volga ; also widely in W. and C. Asia and all Africa, including north. In Europe chiefly migratory ; occasionally occurs to north of breeding range, even to S. Sweden, rare wanderer to British Isles.
Ardea melanocephala Vigors and Children.
Grey with no chestnut colour and with crown and back of neck black (grey in young). Wing ? 388-420. Tarsus 133-148. Bill 93-108 (H.).
An African species ; has occurred accidentally in S. Europe and N. Africa.