Japanese Night Heron
Night Heron ( Gorsachius goisagi )
The Night Heron ( Gorsachius goisagi ) is a species of the heron family, one of the night herons. The predominantly reddish-brown bird is found only in East Asia and is one of the rare species of herons. He is a migrant bird. Since the stock potentially includes only 1,000 individuals, the Night Heron is classified as an endangered species.
Appearance
The Night Heron reaches a height of 49 centimeters. The head is maroon with a short also maroon Crest. The bill is relatively short and relatively wide for a heron. The upper mandible is dark brown. The lower mandible is yellow. The iris is yellow. The sides of the neck are yellow -brown, the body top is colored pale maroon. Discontinued these, the darker wings with blackish primaries, which have a wide red-brown tip. The body underside is brown with a darker longitudinal stripes. The flanks are spotted something. The legs are black green.
Area of distribution and habitat
The Night Heron is restricted as a breeding bird in Japan. During the winter half of the year it is also found in southern China, on some islands of Indonesia and the Philippines. The train in the wintering areas beginning in late October. In the breeding areas of the birds return in the period March to May.
The Night Heron is a nocturnal, forest -bound Art It is found only in rivers and swamps, the edges of which are densely forested. These habitats have become very rare in Japan; according to the heron has disappeared from many of its traditional breeding areas during the 1980s and 1990s. During the overwintering period he seems to have similar habitat requirements.
Way of life
The food spectrum of the Night Heron is comprised of mainly crabs and other crustaceans. In addition, insects, earthworms and small fish. Its breeding season occurs during the period May to July. The nest is built in tall trees. He is not a colony breeders: Even with suitable habitat conditions, the nests are at least 250 feet apart. The breeding biology is largely unexplored. A clutch consists of three to four eggs. The incubation period is 17 to twenty days and the young birds seem to be fully fledged with 35 to 37 days.