The small white herons have dark gray-black paws, a black beak and a bright yellow head without feathers. Right under the lower part of the beak and around the eyes gray-green skin, a rainbow shell of yellow. During the propagation period, two similar stains appear on the head, red spots appear between the beak and eyes, fluffy plumage rises on the back and chest.
What the bird eats
Unlike most large herons and other white herons, a small heron is actively hunting, running, dizzy and chases for prey. A small heron feeds on fish, crustaceans, spiders, worms and insects. Birds are waiting for people to attract fish with abandoned pieces of bread in water, or when other birds make fish and crush to the surface. If the cattle moves and lifts insects from the grass, white herons follow the herd and grab the arthropods.
Distribution and habitat
A small heron is widespread in tropical and warm moderate regions of Europe, Africa, Asia, in most Australia states, but Victoria is under the danger of disappearance. The main threat to low white heron in all habitats is land reclamation and drainage of water-bell lands, especially in areas of feeding and propagation in Asia. In New Zealand, small herons are found almost exclusively in mouths.
Relations between birds
Malaya Bela heron lives alone or gets down into small, poorly organized groups. The bird is often attached to people or follows other predators, selects the remains of prey.
Unlike large and other white herons that prefer a standing hunt, a white small heron is an active hunter. Nevertheless, she also hunts the usual way for her tsapels, stands absolutely motionless and expects the victim closer to the distance of the blow.
Reproduction of small white heron
A small white heron is nesting in colonies, often with other swamp birds on platforms from sticks in trees, shrubs, in a reed bed, in a bamboo grove. In some places, such as the islands of Cabo-Verde, nests on the rocks. Couples protect a small area, usually in a diameter of 3-4 meters from the nest.
Three to five eggs are incubated by both adults for 21-25 days. Oval eggs, pale, not glossy blue-green color. Young birds are covered with white down feathers, they fall after 40-45 days, both parents take care of the offspring.
