ID Keys: Two color morphs, one bluish-gray with a white throat, the
other has all-white plumage, dark legs with yellow feet
The
Western Reef-Heron is a native of the Old World, with populations along the
west coast of Africa, the east coast of Africa, and the coasts of the Middle
East through India. In North America, they were unknown until a bird
spent a summer on Nantucket Island in Massachusetts in 1983. Since
then, other sightings have occurred in the northeastern United States and in
southeastern Canada. Sightings have also occurred more frequently in
the Caribbean, as well as the east coast of South America. Western
Reef Herons thus are known to wander widely from their normal range, and
additional sightings in North America are considered likely.
Habitat
Found near the coastline, on rocky or
sandy shorelines, in mangrove swamps, in tidal estuaries and swamps, and
quiet lagoons.
Diet
Feeds on fish, crustaceans, mollusks, marine
worms, and other marine life. May also sometimes feed on terrestrial
vertebrates such as small rodents.
Behavior
Forages during daylight hours, moving
along mudflats or in shallow water in search of prey.
Nesting
The nest is a platform of sticks and
seaweed, placed on the ground, in a mangrove, low in vegetation, or on a
rocky shelf. The female lays 2 or 3 eggs, and both parents help to
incubate them. After the eggs hatch, both parents help feed and tend to the
young. The young leave the nest after about 28 days.
Song
Usually silent but they do have a squawking
call, most often heard on nesting grounds, or when disturbed.
Migration
Movements of the species are not well
understood, but it is apparent that at least some populations are migratory,
and may disperse widely after the breeding season concludes.
