Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

COUNTRY FIRSTS Chinese Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus: an addition to the avifauna of Pakistan

Journal article published in 2016 by Saeed Abbas, Babar Khan, Ejaz Hussain, Taej Mundkur, Garee Khan
This paper is available in a repository.
This paper is available in a repository.

Full text: Download

Question mark in circle
Preprint: policy unknown
Question mark in circle
Postprint: policy unknown
Question mark in circle
Published version: policy unknown

Abstract

On 3 July 2011 at about 18h00, while undertaking a bird survey as part of the WWF Pakistan’s Saving Wetlands Sky High programme, the survey team sighted an unusual heron, which turned out to have an injured wing, in a marshy area at Soqtarabad (36.800°N 73.993°E). The marsh (altitude 3,414 m) lies in the Qurumber National Park, Ghizer district, Gilgit- Baltistan province, north-west Pakistan (Figure 1). The bird was seen in marshy land on the bed of the Qurumber River in the park, where the vegetation comprised sparse and scattered trees and bushes, dominated by Tamarix sp. with willow Salix sp. and birch Betula utilis also present. The injured bird was caught, photographed and released back into the wild after treatment. The photographs allowed the individual to be identified later as an adult Chinese Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus in almost full breeding plumage (Plate 1). The head and neck were a dull chestnut, with a whitish chin and with a chestnut crest of long lanceolate plumes. The upper and middle back had large black filamentous feathers that reached its tail. The wings, tail and belly were white. The bill was dull yellow with a darker tip and a pale bluish base. The lores and eye-ring were greenish yellow. Its legs, feet and claws were dull yellow. From the length of the crest and white on the throat, we suspect that it was a female.