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Malayan Night Heron

Gorsachius melanolophus

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernInvertebratesWetlandPlatform nestLarge · 412 g
Malayan Night Heron (Gorsachius melanolophus), photo 1
Photo: 葉子 · CC0
Malayan Night Heron (Gorsachius melanolophus), photo 2
Photo: 葉子 (leaf0605) · CC0
Malayan Night Heron (Gorsachius melanolophus), photo 3
Photo: Mathieu Soetens (theweenuthatch) · CC BY 4.0
Malayan Night Heron (Gorsachius melanolophus), photo 4
Photo: 胡正恆(Jackson Hu) · CC BY 4.0
Malayan Night Heron (Gorsachius melanolophus), photo 5
Photo: 胡正恆(Jackson Hu) · CC BY 4.0
Malayan Night Heron (Gorsachius melanolophus), photo 6
Photo: MIMI · CC BY 4.0
Malayan Night Heron (Gorsachius melanolophus), photo 7
Photo: 葉子 · CC0
Malayan Night Heron (Gorsachius melanolophus), photo 8
Photo: 葉子 (leaf0605) · CC0
Malayan Night Heron (Gorsachius melanolophus), photo 9
Photo: Jay Paroline (jayparoline) · CC BY 4.0
Malayan Night Heron (Gorsachius melanolophus), photo 10
Photo: Mathieu Soetens (theweenuthatch) · CC BY 4.0

ID tip

The Malayan night heron is about 48 cm (19 in) long. The wingspan is about 86 cm (34 in). It is stocky, with a short beak. Its neck and breast are rufous. There are streaks going down the centre of the neck to the breast. The upperparts are chestnut and vermiculated. The flight feathers are blackish. The crown is black, the chin is white, and the eyes are yellow. The beak is black and the legs are greenish. The juvenile is greyish to rufous and is spotted and vermiculated. Males have been reported to have deeper blue lores and a longer crest compared to females during the breeding season.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Malayan Night Heron

One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is May, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Malayan Night Heron

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 18 countries with regular records, and 1 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Taiwan India Thailand Singapore Hong Kong SAR China Japan Philippines Vietnam Malaysia China Sri Lanka Indonesia Cambodia Bangladesh Nepal Laos Macao SAR China Myanmar (Burma)

Recorded as a rare visitor in Brunei.

About the Malayan Night Heron

The Malayan night heron, also known as Malaysian night heron and tiger bittern, is a medium-sized heron. It is distributed in southern and eastern Asia.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Japanese Night Heron (Gorsachius goisagi) Japanese Night HeronGorsachius goisagiThe Japanese night heron's wingspan ranges between 43 and 47 centimeters, and the colors of the plumage vary between adult and juvenile herons.

Side by side: Boat-billed Heron vs Malayan Night Heron

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