Acrocephalus griseldis
Not applicable
| Habitats | Wetland Thickets |
|---|---|
| Presence In Israel | Migrant |
| Nesting In Israel | Occasional Breeder |
| Migration Types | Long Range |
| Zoography Zones | Mediterranean |
| Landscape Formations | Wetland Thickets, Wetlands |
| Vegetation Formations | Wetland Thickets |
| Vegetation Densities | Medium, High |
| Nest Locations | Wetland Thickets |
| Diet Types | Invertebrate |
| Foraging Grounds | Trees and Shrubs |
| Body Sizes | Small (up to 500g) |
| Threat Factors | Wetland Drainage & Pollution |
The Purple Heron is a large, long-legged, long-necked heron, with a purplish plumage, reddish brown head and neck and a white throat streaked with black. The juvenile is paler with a browner general color. It resembles the Grey Heron in size and shape, but its color is warmer and browner, and it is smaller, slenderer and more delicate.
The Purple Heron is a colonial breeder whose breeding population in Israel is extremely small. A larger population migrates through the country in spring and autumn. The major breeding concentrations are found around Sea of Galilee and in the Hula Reserve (about 20 pairs at each site) and isolated pairs nest sporadically in the southern Golan Heights, the Hula and Northern valleys and the northern Coastal Plain (although more extensive surveys are needed). The colonies in Sea of Galilee and the Hula have not declined significantly in recent decades, but nesting in the Jezreel and Acre valleys and the Carmel coast has decreased and, in some cases, ceased completely. In the past, the species nested in much higher numbers, but the population declined because of marsh drainage and excessive use of agricultural pesticides.
No specific conservation measures have been taken for this species to date.
- פז, ע. 1986. עופות. מתוך אלון, ע. (עורך), החי והצומח של ארץ ישראל. כרך 6. הוצאת משרד הביטחון, ישראל.
- Symes, A. 2013. Species generation lengths. Unpublished, BirdLife International.
- Species page at Birdlife International
Distribution maps
The maps presented here provide visual information on the distribution of species in Israel in the past and present, and the changes in occupancy and nesting density during the comparison period. For further reading
Relative Abundance 2010-2020
Breeding density values as calculated from observation records and expert opinions.
Relative Abundance 1980-1990
Breeding density values are based mainly on the book Birds of Israel (Shirihai 1996).
Occupancy difference 1990-2020
A map that expresses differences in the breeding distribution between the evaluation periods (1980-1990 versus 2010-2020). Negative value - species previously present but is currently absent, positive value - species has not been recorded previously and is currently present, zero - no change in occupancy.
Relative abundance difference 1990-2020
A map that reflects the changes in the relative abundance of the species between the evaluation periods (1980-1990 versus 2010-2020). Negative values - decline in abundance, positive values - increase in abundance, zero - no change in abundance.
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