5

Western Reef Heron

(Egretta gularis)
Size: 60 cm; wing span 90 cm

Sightings

Western Reef Herons were first spotted around some water puddles in an otherwise dry riverbed (waadi) at Qurm, near Muscat, Oman, in December 2009.

Photos

Frontal view of a dark phase Western Reef Heron

Lateral view of a dark phase Western Reef Heron

Western Reef Herons working over a shallow puddle; the white bird on the right is probably also a Western Reef Heron, pale phase

Dark phase Western Reef Heron (left) and Grey Heron (right) next to each other, which gives a good impression of the relative sizes of both species

Food

All egrets and herons prey on aquatic creatures in fresh water or estuaries (fish, frogs, snakes or crustaceans).

These pages are largely based on our own observations. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.