From - Earth Unreal & Wikipedia,
By - Vinuri Ranula Silva,
The black heron (Egretta ardesiaca), also known as the black egret, is an African heron. It is well known for its habit of using its wings to form a canopy when fishing. The black heron is a medium-sized (42.5–66 cm in height), black-plumaged heron with black bill, lores, legs and yellow feet. In breeding plumage it grows long plumes on the crown and nape.
The black heron occurs patchily through Sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal and Sudan to South
Africa, but is found mainly on the eastern half of the continent and
in Madagascar. It has also been observed
in Greece and
Italy.
It prefers shallow open waters, such as the edges of
freshwater lakes and ponds.
It may also be found in marshes, river edges, rice
fields, and seasonally flooded grasslands.
In coastal areas,
it may be found feeding along tidal rivers and creeks, in alkaline
lakes, and tidal
flats.
The black heron uses a hunting method called canopy feeding — it uses its wings like an umbrella, creating shade that attracts fish. This technique was well documented on episode 5 of the BBC's The Life of Birds. Some have been observed feeding in solitary, while others feed in groups of up to 50 individuals, 200 being the highest number reported. The black heron feeds by day but especially prefers the time around sunset. It roosts communally at night, and coastal flocks roost at high tide. The primary food of the black heron is small fish, but it will also eat aquatic insects, crustaceans and amphibians.
The nest of the black heron is constructed of twigs placed over
water in trees, bushes, and reed
beds, forming a solid structure. The heron nests at the beginning of
the rainy season, in single or mixed-species
colonies that may number in the hundreds. The eggs are
dark blue and the clutch is
two to four eggs.
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