Indian Pond Heron
Indian Pond HeronIndian Pond HeronIndian Pond HeronIndian Pond Heron

Indian Pond Heron

Ardeola grayii

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
60–70% · Likely
overall probability at Wilpattu National Park
286 Verified records at Wilpattu National Park
May Best month highest sighting rate
🌅 Crepuscular When it's active at dawn and dusk

The Indian pond heron or paddybird (Ardeola grayii) is a small heron. It is of Old World origins, breeding in southern Iran and east to the Indian subcontinent, Burma, and Sri Lanka. They are widespread and common but can be easily missed when they stalk prey at the edge of small water-bodies or even when they roost close to human habitations. They are distinctive when they take off, with bright white wings flashing in contrast to the cryptic streaked olive and brown colours of the body. Their camouflage is so excellent that they can be approached closely before they take to flight, a behaviour which has resulted in folk names and beliefs that the birds are short-sighted or blind. Wikipedia →

60–70% of wildlife watchers report a Indian Pond Heron sighting in Wilpattu National Park, based on 286 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Wilpattu National Park

Little Egret
LC

Little Egret

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Egretta garzetta

50–60% · Likely
Great Egret
LC Endemic

Great Egret

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ardea alba

50–60% · Likely
intermediate egret

intermediate egret

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Egretta intermedia

50–60% · Likely
Grey Heron
LC

Grey Heron

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ardea cinerea

50–60% · Likely
Purple Heron
LC

Purple Heron

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ardea purpurea

50–60% · Likely
Black-crowned Night Heron
LC

Black-crowned Night Heron

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Nycticorax nycticorax

10–20% · With luck
Ardea modesta

Ardea modesta

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ardea modesta

Insufficient data
Striated Heron
LC

Striated Heron

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Butorides striata

5–10% · With luck
Malayan Night Heron
LC

Malayan Night Heron

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gorsachius melanolophus

Insufficient data
Western Reef Egret
LC

Western Reef Egret

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Egretta gularis

Insufficient data
Black-headed Ibis
LC

Black-headed Ibis

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Threskiornis melanocephalus

50–60% · Likely
Grey Pelican
NT

Grey Pelican

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Pelecanus philippensis

20–30% · Possible

📅 Monthly Probability

70–80
Jan
70–80
Feb
80–90
Mar
70–80
Apr
90–100
May
40–50
Jun
20–30
Jul
30–40
Aug
40–50
Sep
60–70
Oct
70–80
Nov
70–80
Dec

🌅 When They're Spotted

Most active at dawn and dusk · across all parks (global)

🌅Crepuscular
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Keoladeo National Park 🇮🇳 India
70–80%
2 Sundarbans National Park 🇮🇳 India
70–80%
3 Yala National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
70–80%
4 Wilpattu National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
60–70%
5 Kaziranga National Park 🇮🇳 India
60–70%
6 Chitwan National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
60–70%
7 Ranthambore National Park 🇮🇳 India
60–70%
8 Bandhavgarh National Park 🇮🇳 India
50–60%
9 Kanha National Park 🇮🇳 India
50–60%
10 Bandipur National Park 🇮🇳 India
50–60%
11 Periyar National Park 🇮🇳 India
50–60%
12 Nagarhole National Park 🇮🇳 India
40–50%
13 Royal Bardia National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
30–40%
14 Satpura National Park 🇮🇳 India
30–40%
15 Minneriya National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
30–40%
16 Mudumalai National Park 🇮🇳 India
30–40%
17 Jim Corbett National Park 🇮🇳 India
10–20%
18 Hemis National Park 🇮🇳 India
5–10%
19 Eravikulam National Park 🇮🇳 India
5–10%
20 Sinharaja Forest Reserve 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
5–10%
21 Royal Manas National Park 🇧🇹 Bhutan
<5%
22 Horton Plains National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
<5%
23 Namdapha National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
24 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
<5%

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Indian Pond Heron in Wilpattu National Park?

About 65% of wildlife watchers report a Indian Pond Heron sighting in Wilpattu National Park, based on 286 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Indian Pond Heron in Wilpattu National Park?

May has the highest sighting rate for Indian Pond Heron in Wilpattu National Park in our monthly data.

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