BirdUp · Species
Purple Heron
Ardea purpureaLinnaeus, 1766
- Conservation
- Least Concern
01 · Identification
How to tell it apart
The purple heron is a wide-ranging heron species. It breeds in Africa, central and southern Europe, and southern and eastern Palearctic. The Western Palearctic populations migrate between breeding and wintering habitats whereas the African and tropical-Asian populations are primarily sedentary, except for occasional dispersive movements. It is similar in appearance to the more common grey heron but is slightly smaller, more slender and has darker plumage. It is also a more evasive bird, favouring densely vegetated habitats near water, particularly reed beds. It hunts for a range of prey including fish, rodents, frogs and insects, either stalking them or standing waiting in ambush.
Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
02 · Where
Where to find it
- Breeding range
- PAL, OR, AF : widespread
- Non-breeding range
- Vagrant
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