Voice
Usually silent. A loud, harsh 'kraank' call, similar to that of the Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea). A harsh, rather nasal, croak, usually uttered in flight.
Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) [XC640966]
by Okamoto Keita Sin from Osona (near Prats de Llu\u00e7an\u00e8s), Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain (nocturnal flight call)
Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) [XC839836]
by Thierry THOMAS from Laguna de Pitillas, Navarre, Navarre, Spain (call)
Nest
A bulky structure composed of sticks in a tree or on the ground among reeds. In colonies.
Eggs (Guide)
3 - 6; pale green or greenish-blue; oval; 55 x 40 mm.
Subspecies
Birds of Cape Verde Is sometimes considered separate subspecies, bournei.
The following 4 subspecies are recognised:
purpurea Linnaeus, 1766 - Western Palearctic, including parts of northern Africa, east to Kazakhstan and Iran; Africa south of Sahara, Cape Verde Is.
madagascariensis van Oort, 1910 - Madagascar.
manilensis Meyen, 1834 - Southern & eastern Asia, Indonesia, Philippines.
bournei Naurois, 1966 - Cape Verde Islands (Santiago). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Cape Verde Purple Heron (Ardea bournei).
Similar Species
In Java, Sumatra and other parts of its range with Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea).
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
BirdLife International Species Factsheet