Critically Endangered Species of India- White-bellied Heron (UPSC)

CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SPECIES

(A) BIRDS:

3. WHITE-BELLIED HERON (Ardea insignis)

It is is an extremely rare bird found in five or six sites in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, one or two sites in Bhutan, and a few in Myanmar. It is inherently rare, and populations have never been known to be very high.

The white-bellied heron is a large bird with a height of 127 cm. Its wingspan is estimated to be over 200 cm. The back and the long neck are dark grey in color. The belly plumage is whitish. The bill is large and black in color.

CONSERVATION STATUS: Critically Endangered

HABITAT: Rivers with sand or gravel bars or inland lakes.

DISTRIBUTION: Bhutan and north-east India to the hills of Bangladesh and north Myanmar.

THREATS: Loss and degradation of lowland forest and wetlands through direct exploitation and disturbance.

Also Read: The Forest Owlet

Porul