Great-billed Heron (Ardea sumatrana)

Other Names (World)
Great-billed Heron, Alligator bird, Sumatran Heron, Dusky-grey Heron, Dusky-gray Heron, Dusky Grey Heron, Dusky Gray Heron, Giant heron, Bull-bittern

Family
Ardeidae (Herons)

Size
100 - 120 cm

First Described (Guide)
Raffles, 1822

Derivation
Ard'-e-a - L., heron: sumatrana - N.L., of Sumatra

Abundance (Guide)
UC

Uncommon. Sedentary.

Habitat
Rivers and creeks with over-hanging mangroves, tidal musflats, swamps surrounded by trees.

Range (Guide)

Australia (B), Brunei Darussalam (B), India (B), Indonesia (B), Malaysia (B), Myanmar (B), Papua New Guinea (B), Philippines (B), Singapore (B), Thailand (B), Timor-Leste (B) (NB), Vietnam (B).

Unknown to Cambodia (B).

Tropical northern Australia, west to Derby, WA and south to about Rockhampton, Qld.

Rarity Status
View Rarity Status Information

Population
Estimated population is 18,000 - 110,000 (2010).

Status LC
Probably secure.

For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Habits
Usually solitary.

Food
Crabs and other marine invertebrates.

Voice
A deep, prolonged, resonant, guttural roar. A hoarse croak is uttered in alarm.

(16Kb) © ? (1)

Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (17)...)

Great-billed Heron (Ardea sumatrana) [XC362098]
by Phil Gregory from Mount Bundey, Northern Territory, Australia (call)

Great-billed Heron (Ardea sumatrana) [XC326727]
by Pieter de Groot Boersma from Daintree River, Queensland, Australia (call)

Breeding Season (Guide)
At any time but principally September - May.

Nest
A flat, bulky structure composed of coarse sticks, placed in a mangove, usually one overhanging a narrow channel.

Eggs (Guide)
2; pale blue-green; oval; about 69 x 48 mm. Incubation: by both sexes.

Young
Semi-altrical, nidicolous.

Subspecies
Forms superspecies with White-bellied Heron (Ardea insignis).

The following 2 subspecies are recognised:

sumatrana Raffles, 1822 - Burma, Thailand and southern Viet Nam to Indonesia, Philippines and New Guinea.
mathewsae Mathews, 1912 - Northern Australia. Validity of this subspecies doubtful.

Similar Species
Maybe confused with young Black-necked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus) which has a bulkier bill and generally flies with neck extended.

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References
See References.

The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9

Files:

JPG files for Great-billed Heron (Ardea sumatrana) - 10 files

MP3 files for Great-billed Heron (Ardea sumatrana) - 1 files

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