THE
HONG KONG NATURALIST
Vol. III Nos. 3 & 4.
131
DECEMBER 1932.
THE BIRDS OF HONG KONG.
PART XI.
G. A. C. HERKLOTS.
Family ARDEIDAE, The Herons, Egrets and Bitterns.
The Bitterns.
The order CICONIIFORMES is divided into the two sub-orders Steganopodes including the Gannets, Cormorants, Pelicans, etc., and the Ciconiae with four main families. The Phoenicopteridae,-Flamingoes; the Ibidae,-Ibises and Spoonbills; the Ciconiidae,-Storks; and Ardeidae, -Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns.
In
Frequently storks are confused with herons and their relatives but the latter can be distinguished by their more slender build of bill, body and legs. In the storks the hind toe is short and there is no serrated claw. the Ardeidae the hind toe is long and placed at the same level as the front toes, and the inner edge of the middle claw has a serrated comb-like edge. In flight the heron, like the pelican, doubles up the neck till the head rests on the back between the shoulders, whereas the stork flies with outstretched neck like a swan.
In South China the Ardeidae are represented by the Herons, Egrets, Pond Herons, Green Herons, Night Herons and Bitterns. Of these only
the Bitterns will be described here.
In England the bittern is a bird very well known by name but by sight known only to very few. When alarmed it has the curious habit of keeping absolutely motionless, tilting the body backwards and thrust- ing bill, head, and neck vertically upwards. By doing this the vertical dark
streaks on the throat and breast blend with the reeds and stems of the back- ground, and the buff tints of the plumage harmonise with the browns of the dead reed-leaves. The attitude of the bird and its protective coloration serve to hide it very effectively from a possible enemy. The curious boom- ing cry of the bittern is much better known than the bird itself. The drain- age of the fen and marsh lands and ruthless collecting of the eggs of this rare and interesting bird resulted in the species becoming practically extinct in England and Wales but there is now evidence that in one bird reserve, at least, the bittern is increasing in numbers. In the "Transactions of the Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists' Society" for January of this year the following paragraph occurs. "At one time an attempt used to be made each year to locate all the nests of the Bittern for census purposes, but the practise has now been given up, because there is every reason to believe that their numbers are not decreasing. For example, on May 1st (1931) seven different male birds were heard booming on the reserve (Hickling Broad
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