Purple heron

Introduction: Purple herons (Ardea purpurea) are known to be a secretive and retiring species especially around dense, emerging vegetation that fringe shallow wetlands and mangroves. Roosting is communally in reedbeds and they are seldom away from cover, making observations more difficult.

Distribution: Scattered range from the Orange River to central Namibia, Swakopmund, Etosha National Park, Kunene River Mouth, Caprivi, Chobe/Zambezi River, Victoria Falls and the Okavango Delta and Moremi Game Reserve.

Diet: Hunts in reedbeds and shallow vegetation at dawn and dusk for fish, insects, amphibians, crustaceans, reptiles, insects, birds and small mammals.

Description: The purple heron is a large, dark, richly coloured heron with a long, slender neck. It is often confused with the much larger Goliath heron. Purpurea is Latin for 'purple'.

Breeding: A nest consisting of a platform of reeds or dense collection of short-growing stems is the site for females to lay 2 to 5 eggs between September to October, incubated for around 26 days.

Size: 90cm.

Weight: Up to 1.2kg.