White-bellied Heron

Ardea insignis

Beak

—

Feet

—

Crest

No crest

Resident. E Himalayan foothills. Large size. very long neck, huge dark bill, and large, dark legs and feet. Grey head with white throat, and white-striped grey foreneck and breast contrasting with white belly. in flight, has uniform dark grey upperwing, and white underwing-coverts contrasting with dark grey flight feathers. in breeding plumage, has greyish-white nape plumes, grey back plumes, a ndwhite-striped breast plumes; lores and orbital skin are yellowish - green. Juvenile has browner upperparts and streaked appearance to upperparts. Shy. Found singly or in pairs. Hunting methods are similar to those of other diurnal herons. Globally threatened. Rivers, marshes and lakes in tropical and subtropical forest.