Goliath heron
Goliath heron | |
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Goliath Heron in Lake Baringo, Kenya | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Pelecaniformes |
Family: | Ardeidae |
Genus: | Ardea |
Species: | A. goliath
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Binomial name | |
Ardea goliath Cretzschmar, 1829
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Synonyms | |
Garza goliath |
The Goliath heron (Ardea goliath), also known as the giant heron,
Description
This is the world's largest living heron (the extinct
The Goliath heron has a distinct deep bark, often described as kowoork, audible from a distances of up to 2 km. A disturbance call (arrk), sharper and higher, can also occasionally be heard. A huh-huh is given during the crouched stage, while a krooo may be heard with the neck extended. Organ-like duetting has been reported at nest sites but has not been confirmed.
Habitat
The Goliath heron is very aquatic, even by heron standards, rarely venturing far from a water source and preferring to fly along waterways rather than move over land. Important habitats can include lakes, swamps,
Diet and behaviour
Goliath herons are solitary foragers and are highly territorial towards other Goliaths entering their feeding territories.
Prey almost entirely consists of
Breeding
Its breeding season coincides generally with the start of the rainy season, which is around November to March. In some areas, breeding is year around, with no discernable peak season. Breeding may not occur every year. Fairly adaptable in their nesting site selection, Goliath herons generally prefer to nest on islands or islands of vegetation. The birds may abandon a nesting site if the island becomes attached to the mainland. Lakes or other large bodies of water usually hold colonies. They nest fairly low in variously sedge, reeds, bushes, trees or even on rocks or large tree stumps. The nesting dispersal seems highly variable as everything from a solitary pair (with no other Goliath nests anywhere near) to fairly large colonies have been observed, with no seeming local geographical preferences. Occasionally, they may join mixed-species colonies including other heron species, cormorants, darters, ibises and gulls. The breeding displays are not well known and may be subdued, due in part to breeding pairs possibly reunited year after year. The nests are large but often flimsy (depending on available vegetation around the nesting site), often measuring around 1 to 1.5 m (3.3 to 4.9 ft) in diameter.
Eggs are pale blue, averaging 72 by 54 mm (2.8 by 2.1 in) and weighing around 108 g (3.8 oz). The clutch size can range from 2 to 5 (usually 3 or 4). Incubation lasts 24 to 30 days. Although they can sometimes replace clutches, often only around 25% of eggs succeed in hatching due to various environmental conditions or predation. The young are fed by regurgitation in the nest and, after a few weeks, can bill jab and practice defensive postures against each other. At around five weeks they leave the nest completely. The parents continue to tend to them for variously 40 to 80 days. Around 62% of fledglings who successfully leave the nest survive to adulthood. Locally, the white-tailed eagle and the African fish eagle may be a predator in colonies. Despite their ponderous movements, Goliath herons can think quickly and often take flight before danger approaches. Also, due to its size and formidable bill, the full-grown Goliath heron may not have any regular predators.[7]
References
- . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ISBN 0-19-563731-3.
- ISBN 978-3-662-58162-9.
- ^ Goliath heron – Ardea goliath. Oiseaux.net (2009-10-25). Retrieved on 2012-08-23.
- S2CID 86605251.
- ^ Goliath heron – Ardea goliath Archived 2013-04-15 at archive.today. Avis.indianbiodiversity.org. Retrieved on 2012-08-23.
- ^ a b c d University of Michigan- Ardea goliath: INFORMATION. Animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu. Retrieved on 2012-08-23.
- ^ (Whitfield and Blaber 1978, Mock and Mock 1980)
- ^ a b Mock, Douglas W., and Karilyn C. Mock. "Feeding behavior and ecology of the Goliath Heron." The Auk 97.3 (1980): 433-448.
- ^ a b Del Hoyo, Josep, et al. Handbook of the birds of the world. Vol. 1. No. 8. Barcelona: Lynx edicions, 1992.
Bibliography
- BonarVMD, Christopher J.; Lewandowski, Albert H. (2004). "Use of a Liposomal Formulation of Amphotericin B for Treating Wound Aspergillosis in a Goliath heron (Ardea goliath)". Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery. 18 (3): 162–166. S2CID 86605251.
- Mock, Douglas W.; Mock, Karilyn C. (July 1980). "Feeding Behavior and Ecology of the Goliath heron". The Auk. 97 (3): 433–448. JSTOR 4085837.
- El-Naffar, M. K.; Khalifa, R. M.; Sakla, A. A. (1980). "Parasitofauna of the Egyptian aquatic birds. II. Trematode parasites of the giant heron (Ardea goliath) in Assiut governorate". Journal of the Egyptian Society of Parasitology. 10 (1): 107–116. ISSN 1110-0583. Archived from the originalon 2013-04-14.
- Hunter Jr., Malcolm L.; Calhoun, Aram; Wilcove, David S. (2004). "Goliath heron fishing with an artificial bait?". Waterbirds. 27 (3): 312–313. S2CID 85948753.
- Mock, Douglas W.; Mock, Karilyn C. (1980). "Feeding behavior and ecology of the Goliath heron". The Auk. 97 (3): 433–448. JSTOR 4085837.