White-eared Night Heron
Oroanassa magnifica
Rare and elusive night-heron with a bug-eyed, almost “alien,” appearance. Highly localized, seldom encountered far from its nesting colonies and roost sites. Black above with gray streaking on the chest and a clean white-and-orange head pattern, though this can be hard to see in poor lighting. Forages quietly in well-shaded forest streams, but most reliably seen in its small breeding colonies, usually hidden deep in a stand of bamboo or evergreen trees.
识别特征
The length is 54–56 cm (21–22 in). The male is mostly blackish-brown. The neck-sides are chestnut. The lores are yellow, and the beak is black. The eyes are yellow-orange. The head and nape are blackish. The postocular stripes and throat are white. The underparts are brown, with white streaks. The tarsi are green. The female is similar to the male, but its head and neck are less distinctly patterned. The female also has whitish streaks on its back and wings. The juvenile is similar to the female, but has a browner plumage and buff spots.
分类信息
The white-eared night heron was collected in Hainan by John Whitehead. It was described as Nycticorax magnifica by William Robert Ogilvie-Grant in 1899. The species is monotypic.
- 学名
- Oroanassa magnifica
- 命名信息
- (Ogilvie-Grant, 1899)
- 目
- Suliformes
- 科
- Paradisaeidae
- 属
- Oroanassa
分布与栖息地
This heron is found in southern China and northern Vietnam. Its range size is estimated at 2,180,000 km2 (840,000 sq mi). By 2001, the species had only been recorded from about 20 localities; in the ten years from 2001 to 2011, surveys discovered it in more than 30 localities, making its known range much larger. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical forests and rivers. It has also been found in human-modified habitats.
- 迁徙
- Complete migrants
行为
Like other night herons, this species is mostly nocturnal. It feeds on fish, shrimps and invertebrates. Its territorial call is a deep, raspy whoaa, lasting about 0.3 seconds and repeated every 5–15 seconds. Breeding has been recorded in both Vietnam and China. The clutch size is 3–5 eggs. In China, hatching has been observed in May, with an incubation period of about 25 days. In Vietnam, fledging has been observed in late April. Breeding seems to occur earlier in Vietnam than in China. The nest is in the shape of a circular tray. A study found that fledging occurred more than two months after hatching, longer than most other species of heron.
保护状况
The IUCN Red List has listed the white-eared night heron as an endangered species because its population is small, fragmented and declining. In the 1990s, the species was considered very rare and listed as a critically endangered species. It was downlisted to an endangered species in 2000. Its population is estimated at 250–999 mature individuals and 350–1500 total individuals. It is threatened by deforestation, hunting, overfishing and water pollution. It has been discovered in many new localities, but the population is probably declining because of the threats. The species is listed as a Class II protected species in China. It occurs in protected areas in China and Vietnam, such as the Chebaling National Nature Reserve [zh] and Ba Be National Park.
- 种群趋势
- declining
照片
分布
其他鸟类
Long-crested Eagle
Lophaetus occipitalis
Large, chunky, blackish eagle with a towering, floppy crest. In flight, the wing shows much white below and less above. Found in woodland, plantations, and open forest. Perches for long periods, and only occasionally soars. Call is a long, powerful “kweeeeya.” Separated from Verreaux’s Eagle by different shape: more compact, with a shorter tail and broader, squared-off wings.
Blue-headed Coucal
Centropus monachus
Huge coucal with a hefty bill. The head often looks black, but can show a blue sheen. Found close to water in marshes, swamps, and wet scrub. Fairly skulking, though occasionally seen in the open. Massive size is obvious in flight. The call is a slow, deep version of the typical coucal descending and accelerating series of “boop” notes. Very similar to Coppery-tailed Coucal, but there is virtually no overlap in range, and Blue-headed is smaller, with a blue sheen to the head. Similar coloration to Senegal Coucal, but much larger.
White-necked Rockfowl
Picathartes gymnocephalus
A bizarre and unique ground-loving bird, large but slender, with long legs, tail, and neck and extensive yellow facial skin with large dark brown patches behind the eyes resembling earmuffs. Resident in lowland forest, hill forest, and secondary scrub where there are large boulders and caves inside the forest for them to use for nesting and roosting. Forages in pairs or groups on the forest floor, bouncing effortlessly through the undergrowth on strong legs and returning to rocks most nights to roost communally. Mostly silent, but makes low clucking and other soft contact calls.
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