Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets & Bitterns) by Group 3; General Ecology-BIOL348; USC

Group 3 Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets & Bitterns)

mEMBERS peter jones

JI-SHAWN pardassie

SHIANN HISLOP

karisse mulrain

herons, egrets & bitterns (Ardeidae) White-crested tiger heron (Tigriornis leucolopha)

Eurasian bittern (Botaurus stellaris)

Tigriornithinae (4 genera; 6 species)

Grey heron (Ardea cinerea)

Botaurinae (3 genera; 14 species)

Little egret (Egretta garzetta)

Ardeinae (11 genera; 45 species)

*Herons, egrets and bitterns (Ardeidae) are a family of birds within the Pelecaniformes order. They share the suborder, Ardei, with the ibises and spoonbills of the family Threskiornithidae.

Threskiornithidae

Ardeidae

species

Distribution & Habitat *Herons have a cosmopolitan distribution; they are found on all continents, except Antarctica. They're also found on most islands around the world. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Heron_range.png/1280px-Heron_range.png

*Their habitats include most lowland areas with a permanent source of water where they can feed at their margins or in the shallows.

Lakes

Rivers

Ponds

Wetlands

Seas

Family Characteristics Long, pointed beak/bill for catching fast and slippery prey as most species are carnivorous; a few are omnivorous.

Long, broad wings that exhibit strong, steady wing beats when flying. Wingspan ranges from 41 cm (16 in) to 230 cm (90.5 in), depending on species.

*Tend to be monogamous and colonial birds.

Height ranges from 28 cm (11 in) to 152 cm (60 in).

Large eyes with great binocular vision which allows them to see and hunt in both day and night.

Long, flexible neck with the ability to kink. Is often retracted towards the body in flight.

Feathers are soft and plumage ranges from blue and black to brown and grey or even white, depending on species.

Long, strong legs with thin, outstretched, anisodactyl toes and claws, used for walking steadily on muddy ground or wading in the shallows of various waterways which are their preferred habitat.

*Average lifespan in the wild = 15 years Average lifespan in captivity = 24+ years

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/Carl_von_Linn%C3%A9%2C_1707-1778%2C_botanist%2C_professor_%28Alexander_Roslin%29_-_Nationalmuseum__15723.tif/lossy-page1-800px-Carl_von_Linn%C3%A9%2C_1707-1778%2C_botanist%2C_professor_%28Alexander_Roslin%29_-_Nationalmuseum_-_15723.tif.jpg

Cattle egret Bubulcus ibis Domain: Eukaryota (Eukaryotes) Kingdom: Animalia (Animals) Phylum: Chordata (Chordates) Subphylum: Vertebrata (Vertebrates) Class: Aves (Birds) Order: Pelecaniformes (Pelicans, Ibises, Spoonbills, Herons, Shoebills, Hamerkops) Suborder: Ardei (Ibises, Spoonbills, Herons) Family: Ardeidae (Herons) Subfamily: Ardeinae (type subfamily) Genus: Bubulcus (monotypic) (Latin for "herdsman" or "cowherd") Species: Bubulcus ibis (Carl Linnaeus, 1758) https://live.staticflickr.com/7341/12040071194_f6aaae7abd_b.jpg

Distribution & Habitat

https://cdn.download.ams.birds.cornell.edu/api/v1/asset/169644341/480

*Originally native to parts of Asia, Africa and Europe, the cattle egret has undergone a rapid expansion in its distribution and successfully colonised the rest of the world. *The exceptions are Antarctica, the extreme norths of Africa and North America, most of Europe, Asia and Australia, the South American Andes and very few islands.

Compared to other herons, the cattle egret is typically found in fields, farmlands, savannas, parks and dry grassy habitats, but they will inhabit rice fields, floodplains, marshes and mangrove swamps on occasion.

Physical appearance • Hunched and stocky posture.

Height: 46-56 cm (18.1-22 in)

• Large eyes with yellow irises; irises become bright red in both adult sexes during breeding season.

• Study, yellow beak, relatively short, thick neck and short, gray-yellow legs, feet and toes with black claws.

• Feathered plumage is usually white but during breeding season, both adult sexes develop orange-buff plumes on the back, breast and crown and the beak and legs become bright red/orange.

270-512 g (9.5-18 oz)

• Sexes are similar, but the male is slightly larger and has slightly longer breeding plumes than the female.

• Juvenile birds AND CHICKS look similar to adults, except they’re smaller, don’t have coloUred plumes and their beaks and legs are black.

Wingspan: 88-96 cm (34.6-37.8 in)

Abiotic requirements Trees and powerline poles provide resting and nesting areas, as well as places of protection.

Warm to hot tropical and temperate climate with seasonal rain.

Environments tend to have lots of sunlight.

Water bodies provide food and a source of drinking water.

Large expanses of grassy lowland provide food and allows individuals in groups to keep an eye on each other.

https://t4.ftcdn.net/jpg/00/78/03/25/360_F_78032552_L23lEYCqjq1GrbaKZI3MN4JJLPz3kqqw.jpg

Lifestyle Feature

Summary

Image

Reproduction

Male cattle egrets seasonally display within their colony in trees for female mates, which then help form the small nest of sticks.

One to five blue-white eggs are laid by tbe female and incubated for 23 days by both parents until hatching.

Growth

The chicks are partly covered with down at hatching, but are nidicolous. They're able to regulate their temperature at 9 to 12 days and are fully feathered in 13 to 21 days. They leave the nest and climb around at 2 weeks, fledge at 30 days and become independent at day 45. The average lifespan of a cattle egret is up to ten years, however 23 years is the maximum.

Behaviour

Cattle egrets live and feed in flocks that can range from 20 to thousands of individuals.. It is a diurnal species and mainly preys upon insects and other invertebrates, as well as snakes, lizards, frogs, fish and the eggs and nestling chicks of other birds. They have a high association with grazing animals (such as cattle) and can be seen hanging around them or tractors that disturb grassy areas for prey.

Biotic Relationship

Summay

Mutualistic

Cattle egrets remove ticks and flies from cattle and other grazing animals and then consume them, preventing the grazers from getting diseases.

Trophic

The cattle egret is a tertiary consumer as it feeds on both primary consumers, such as certain insects and earthworms and secondary consumers, like frogs and lizards.

Predation

Adults: crested caracaras and eagles.

Chicks & juveniles: monkeys, crows, rats, pelicans and eagles.

Image

Anthropogenic Impacts Feeding areas and many breeding sites of the cattle egret are directly affected by human activities. They prefer sites for nest building, which have regular accessibility of water, and usual human activities are common nearby. Also, as ranchers work to expand arable land, cattle egrets use that to their advantage. Hunters also kill cattle egrets for their meat for food and plumes which are used in decorative clothing.

Kingdom - Animalia (animal) Subkingdom - bilateria Infrakingdom - deuterostomes Phylum - Chordata (chordates) Subphylum - vertebrate Infraphylum - Gnathostomata Superclass - Tetrapoda Class - Aves (bird) Order - Pelecaniformes (pelicans, ibis, herons) Family - Ardeidae (Britten, egrets, herons) Subfamily - Ardeidae Genus - Nyctanassa

Yellow-crowned night-heron is commonly found in North America, the West Indies, and along coastlines of Central America and South America http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2014/murphy_mich/interactions.htm

Scientific name - Nycticorax violaceous

Global/Regional Distribution https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/ycnher/cur/introduction

Yellow-crowned night-heron

Physical features . 55-70cm in length . 110cm wingspan . Males and slightly larger than females . Thick neck, slim when extended . Short legs . Short broadbill . Bluish-grey body and neck . Black head with white cheek patch and conspicuous yellow crown (extends into white streams when breeding) . Blush-grey back with black center

https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/ycnher/cur/introduction

Yellow-crowned night heron.

Black-crowned night heron

Preferable Habitats COASTAL AREA AND INLANDS Yellow-crowned night heron depends on aquatic organisms as a main source of nutrition. Yellow-crowned night heron can be found in coastal area and in inland. . Abiotic - water, rocks and or soil . Biotic - vegetation and potential prey Coastal areas - microhabitats for foraging, tidal marshes, beach, tidal pools, and rock shorelines Inland - swamps, mangroves, rivers, ponds, and shallow creeks

Lifestyle Features REPRODUCTION Males attract mates by performing flight displays and raising their shoulder plumes, or the white stream on the back of their yellow crown, which a female sometimes reciprocates, and a monogamous pair is formed. In building the nest the males gather the materials and the females construct the nest, nests can be located in mangroves, freshwater habitats, saltwater habitats, and brackish. After which another flight display is performed and breeding begins, the female is expected to lay three(3) to five(5) which will take two(2) to three(3) weeks to hatch. The parent would take care of the young for ten(10) to eleven (11) weeks, after which the young herons will disperse to the north or west before heading to the wintering grounds. https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/yellow-crowned-night-heron

https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/ycnher/cur/introduction

Displaying the raised white stream.

Displaying the raised shoulder plumes

Lifestyle Features GROWTH As previously seen in reproduction three(3) to five(5) are laid by the female. The eggs then take two(2) to three(3) weeks to hatch. Over the next ten(10) to eleven(11) weeks, the chick may molt its old for new feathers twice within that time, from chick to juvenile, and from juvenile to adult. The young yellow-crown night heron would have spent that time being fed by its parents, learning how to forage for itself through observation, and attempting to forage for itself. As well as defending itself from its other sibling’s attempt of trampling over it. After ten(10) to eleven(11) weeks, the young yellow-crowned night heron will now have to depend on itself as it makes its way to the wintering grounds.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-crowned_Night-Heron

Lifestyle Features BEHAVIOR The behavior of the Yellow-crowned night-heron can be divided into two(2) categories; general and foraging.

Yellow-crowned night-herons normally walk slowly through shallow waters of wetlands, swamps, and coastal areas. Whiles flying their feet and legs can be seen stretched beyond their tail as it flaps their wings slowly through the sky. Giving themselves a preen (a groom) is also a common feature of theirs, after foraging the adult Yellow-crowned night-herons will groom themselves and aid in the grooming of others.

Meanwhile, a foraging Yellow-crowned night-heron will slowly stalk shallow waters in search of its prey. A large colony of Yellow-crowned night-herons usually means that the area has a plentiful supply of food, however, they usually forage alone.

Nearly the same amount of time is spent by both the adults and the juveniles foraging and doing the general behavioral feature, even though the juveniles are not as sufficient foragers as the adults they learn through observation.

Biotic Interaction

http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2014/murphy_mich/interactions.htm

POTENTIAL PREY Yellow-crowned Night herons interact with various other species within their habitats.

Being nocturnal and crepuscular (dusk, dawn, or twilight) the heron utilizes two(2) to capture its prey such as a stand and wait or a slow walk method. The niche of the yellow-crowned night-heron overlaps with the niche of the scarlet ibis, mostly being seen in mangroves and being the only carcinophage (crab-eating) birds. Mostly seen feeding in mangroves the Yellow-crowned night-heron specializes in hunting crabs, crayfish, and insects.

VEGETATION Yellow-crowned night-herons typically use vegetation as a nesting site. They may build their nest in high vegetation of pine or oak tree 60 feet off the ground, or even in lower vegetation of mulberry, myrtle, hackberry, and mangroves. In places, with limited vegetation, the heron may be found on rock ledges.

Anthropogenic Impact CLIMATE CHANGE Many things are done by humans that have an impact on the wildlife, be it imposing on its habitat or overhunting a particular species' prey or the species itself.

One of the things that the yellow-crowned night-heron had to do to survive is adjust to climate change. Due to the changing climate, the yellow-crowned night-heron had to adjust when it went to its breeding ground on the Atlantic coast because the potential prey whiles there (crabs) only emerge from its borrow when the temperature is over 15°C and will return to its borrow if the temperature does below 15°C. Yellow-crowned night-heron has now adjusted to reach their breeding grounds earlies in spring for when the crabs are emerging from their borrow, and depart before fall or autumn when the crabs return to their borrows.

https://ccbbirds.org/2015/05/18/yellow-crowned-night-herons-adjust-to-changing-clim

STRIATED HERON Other names: Little Heron, Green-backed Heron, Mangrove Heron.

Scientific name: Butorides striata.

Weight: 200 – 250 g Length: 40 – 48 cm Wingspan: 62 – 70 cm Age: Mortality for this species has a poor documentation.

CLASSIFICATION Domain: Eurkaryota Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata Class: Aves Order: Pelecaniformes Suborder: Ardei Family: Ardeidae Subfamily: Ardeinae Genus: Butorides Species: Butorides striata

PHYSICAL FEATURES Image Link: https://wiki.nus.edu.sg/display/TAX/Butorides+striata+-+Striated+heron

They are known to be one of the smallest heron, about 44cm in length. The males tend to be slightly larger and brighter than females.

1. Dark bill: Upper bill brown-black and lower bill dusky green 2. Lore: Dull yellow green with black portions 3. Iris: Orange-yellow, deep orange in courtship 4. Crown: Glossy green-black 5. Chin and throat: White 6. Under eye from bill: Dark line 7. Breast: Light grey 8. Crest: Erectile, same colour as crown 9. Back: Dark grey, green cast, longer feathers near tail 10. Flight feathers: Black with buff edges 11. Legs: Glossy orange in courtship. Olive grey and yellow green otherwise

DISTRIBUTION

HABITAT

Mangrove Wetlands coastal habitats such as ocean islands and at the edges of small and large brushy river swamps, the edges of forested rivers, streams, and even in human made habitat(fields, canals, and ponds) Abiotic - water, rocks and or soil Biotic - vegetation and potential prey

Image Link: https://animalia.bio/striated-heront

Continents: North and South America, Africa, Asia, New Guinea Pacific islands.

North and South Australia

Islands: Caribbean Islands, South Georgia South Sandwich Islands, Galápagos

BEHAVIOUR Their feeding behavior is standing still, while waiting for prey to appear to them, then they unfold their neck in an incredibly speedy stretch.

Young birds and Adults stretches out their neck and pointing their bill skyward whenever they feel threatened.

Image Link: https://wildlifeinnature.com/wp/2019/08/22/the-greenheron/

Courtship begins when the male chooses an advertising site, an old nest. The crest is raised by the male and does a "skow" call. The female does a "coo" call.

FEEDING

It slowly stalks its prey, waiting or standing for its prey to emerge, then stabs it with it’s bill.

Their trophic level is tertiary consumers that feed on both primary consumers (herbivores) and secondary consumers (carnivores).

Crabs and other crustaceans Molluscs Small fish Insects Small reptiles & mammals

REPRODUCTION

Image Link: https://animalia.bio/striated-heront

BIOTIC INTERACTION

REPRODUCTION/GROWTH

PREY

Water dragons (Physignathus), shrikes (Colluricincla), crows (Corvus), and eagles (Haliaeetus) feed on the eggs and chicks of the striated heron.

VEGETATION Striated herons typically use vegetation as a nesting site. They may build their nest not too high of the ground in shrubs, bushes and trees that are near water, especially on mangroves.

The crest is raised by the male and does a "skow" call. The female does a "coo" call and a monogamous pair is formed. They nest in shrubs, bushes and trees that are overhanging in water, in well-concealed locations and sometimes over dry land, The nest especially on mangroves. There are unusual nesting sites such are as a TV antenna. Clutch size are 2–5 eggs, which are pale blue and measure around 36 by 28 mm. Eggs take 22 - 24 days to hatch. The mortality of the species has poor documentation.

They nest that are mostly spaced in groups of 5-15 nests to breeding aggregations in the hundreds, flimsy stick platforms about 3 m to 9 m over water.

ANTHROPOGENIC IMPACTS Striated herons suffer from anthropogenic threats such as human disturbance, pesticides and habitat destruction. In some countries, the striated herons are consumed as food.

THE GREAT EGRET (SCIENTIFIC NAME: Ardea Alba) Domain- Eukaryota Kingdom- Animalia Subkingdom- Bilateria Phylum- Chordata Subphylum- Vertebrata Superclass- Tetrapoda Class- Aves Order- Pelecaniformes Family- Ardeidae Subfamily- Ardeinae Genus- Ardea Linnaeus Species- Ardea Alba

CREDIT : KUDICH-ZSIRMON Photography

GREAT FEATURES The Great Egret, scientifically known as Ardea Alba is the largest of it's family, Ardeidae. They range from 85cm to 102cm in length and have a wingspan of 140cm -170cm when in flight. These elegant, birds are tall, all white, with long, black, thin legs; and possess a yellow dagger-like bill. They acquire long, fluffy plumage known as "aigrettes" during breeding season. They also have long Scurved necks. Great egrets are widely distributed across the globe and are found in North, Central and South America, Europe, Africa, and in temperate areas in Asia.

HABITAT PREFERENCES

https://pixabay.com/photos/great-egret-flying-lakebird-egret-6126435/

Great egrets are found in both fresh as well as saltwater habitats, including marshes, mudflats, ponds, shores, lakes, coastal lagoons and estuaries. Normally, they nest in low marshes and in trees or shrubs near water.

GLOBAL DISRIBUTION

https://www.heronconservation.org/herons-of the-world/list-of-herons/great-egret/

DIET

Great egrets are opportunistic foragers and are considered heterotrophs. They are secondary consumers and have no non-human predators. They eat a variety of animals comprising of fishes, small reptiles, amphibians, smaller birds and invertebrates inclusive of crayfish, prawns, shrimp, worms, bugs, grasshoppers, beetles, isopods and dragonflies

BEHAVIOR

Video by: Eric Liner, 17 Jan 2009

The great egret forage and stalk their prey in shallow waters and fields. They feed in flocks or together with other herons. When hunting their prey, the great egret wade in the shallows, standing extremely still, and await to encounter their prey. Upon seeing fish, frogs or other small aquatic animals, they strike their sharp bills, capturing their prey. These birds are very territorial, accompanied by an aggressive nature. They are also diurnal and they flock together forming communal roosts. Great egrets are known to fight for food in addition to stealing food from other heron species.

- BREEDING, NESTING & LIFE CYCLE During the reproduction season, the great egret grows plumes from its back and the male would perform a courting dance with mating calls to attract the female's attention. When successful, the would mate. Their nests are sometimes built in wet areas in thick reeds or in trees and shrubs, out of twigs and sticks by the male. Within a year, 3-5 eggs are usually laid and kept warm by both parents for a duration of 23-26 days. The chicks are fed by regurgitation by parents. Nestlings would compete with one another very aggressively by stabbing the less dominant to death as well as attacking intruders. Chicks fledge within 2-3 weeks, and when they are 6 weeks, they are capable of flying.

The paintings of William R.Beebe

Great Egrets. Photo: Franklin Abbott

MIGRATION

ADAPTATIONS

ANTHROPOGENIC IMPACTS

In northern populations, after breeding, great egret are dispersed north of the usual breeding range, and in south America, they are dispersed south of the breeding range. Great egrets migrate in small flocks during the day and communicate by sounds and calls. In the United States of America, they travel south for winter as far as the West indies, and during the summer and fall they range widely over the continent.

- Great egrets are adapted with long legs for wading - These Great birds feed mostly on aquatic life, so their long daggerlike bills are designed for capturing their slippery prey.

- Great egrets live in communities where their eggs can be easily damaged, so in an event like that, the females can lay replacement eggs.

The intrusions of humans on wetland habitats contributes to the degradation and alteration of those habitats. Human activity near wading bird nesting sites can have harmful effects such as lower breeding success, leading to population drops and alteration of nesting and breeding behaviors.

Habitat loss and fragmentation as well as increased disturbances, affect bird populations.

https://www.allaboutbirds.or g/guide/Great_Egret/maps-

FUN FACT

In the la te 1800 's, Grea facing e t egrets xtinctio were n becau gorgeo se of th us whit eir e plume became s. They the sym bol of th Audubo e Nation n Socie al ty as th e y provid protect ing ion for them

References: Digital, Carter. “Striated Heron.” BirdLife Australia. birdlife.org.au, 0 0, 2021. https://birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/striated-heron.

Eugene, Tok Wei Xian. “Butorides Striata - Striated Heron.” Wiki.nus. wiki.nus.edu.sg, November 20, 2019. https://wiki.nus.edu.sg/display/TAX/Butorides+striata++Striated+heron.

Fiorillo , Federico . “The Striated Heron – A Stealthy Fish Hunter.”

Avibirds. avibirds.com, March 10, 2021. https://avibirds.com/striated-heron/

References Continued: Heronconservation. Heron. (n.d.). Retrieved June 13, 2022, from https://www.heronconservation.org/herons-of-the-world/list-of-herons/yellowcrowned-night-heron/ Integrated Taxonomic Information System - Report. ITIS. (n.d.). Retrieved June 13, 2022, from https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt? search_topic=TSN&search_value=174842#null Stabile, F. (n.d.). NYCTANASSA violacea (yellow-crowned night heron). Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved June 13, 2022, from https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Nyctanassa_violacea/

References Continued: Villar Couto, C. M., Cumming, G. S., Lacorte, G. A., Congrains, C., Izbicki, R., Braga, E. M., Rocha, C. D., MoralezSilva, E., Henry, D., Manu, S. A., Abalaka, J., Regalla, A., da Silva, A. S., Diop, M. S., & Del Lama, S. N. (2019). Avian haemosporidians in the cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) from central-western and southern Africa: High diversity and prevalence. PloS one, 14(2), e0212425. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0212425 Hosein, Melinda (2012). The Online Guide to the Animals of Trinidad and Tobago - Bubulcus ibis (Cattle Egret) (PDF). pp. 1–4. https://sta.uwi.edu/fst/lifesciences/sites/default/files/lifesciences/images/Bubulcus_ibis%20%20Cattle%20Egret.pdf Retrieved 20/06/2022. https://birdsoftheworld.org/ F. Federico. The Great Egret - The lord of the wetlands. May 11, 2020. Avibirds. https://avibirds.com/great-egret/. Accessed on 05/07/2020 Cornell Lab of Ornithology. 2019. All About Birds. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. August 12, 2010. https://www.allaboutbirds.org Accessed on 05/07/2022