Java Pond-heron (Ardeola speciosa)

Family
Ardeidae (Herons)

Size
44 - 46 cm

First Described (Guide)
(Horsfield, 1821)

Derivation
Ard'-e-a - L., heron: speciosa - ?

Abundance (Guide)
R - V

Probable rare vagrant to Christmas Island.

Habitat
swamps, ponds, lakes, paddy fields, mangroves, coastal mudflats.

Range (Guide)

Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam.

Vagrant to Singapore.

Indonesia and south-east Asia. Possible rare vagrant to Christmas Island.

Rarity Status
View Rarity Status Information

Population
Estimated population is 10,000 - 100,000 (2010).

Status LC
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Habits
Singly or in small flocks.

Food
Small fish and insects.

Voice
A harsh and creaky 'craar' or 'craark' when disturbed.

Xeno-Canto Sound Files

Javan Pond Heron (Ardeola) [XC94169]
by Prayitno Goenarto from King Project, Phetchaburi, Thailand (call)

Javan Pond Heron (Ardeola speciosa) [XC487968]
by id from Taman Wisata Alam Mangrove Angke Kapuk, Indonesia (call)

Breeding Season (Guide)
Does not breed in Australia. Breeds south-east Asian (June - September). In colonies.

Nest
Untidy platform, in a tree.

Eggs (Guide)
3 - 5; dark greenish-blue; oval; 38 x 28 mm.

Subspecies
Forms superspecies with Chinese Pond-heron (Ardeola bacchus), Indian Pond-heron (Ardeola grayii) and perhaps Madagascar Pond-heron (Ardeola idae).

The following 2 subspecies are recognised:

speciosa (Horsfield, 1821) - Western and central Indonesia.
continentalis Salomonsen, 1933 - Central Thailand, southern Indochina.

Similar Species
Chinese Pond-heron (Ardeola bacchus) which has more obvious dusky tips to outermost primaries.

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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 Java Pond-heron (Ardeola speciosa) - 10 files

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