Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...

Great-billed Heron

Ardea sumatrana

The great-billed heron, Ardea sumatrana, stands as a majestic figure among wading birds, with a stature reaching 115 cm (45 in) tall and a weight tipping the scales at up to 2.6 kg (5.7 lb). This species boasts a larger size and a darker hue compared to its relative, the purple heron. Its plumage is predominantly dark grey above, presenting an impressive silhouette.

Identification Tips

In flight, the great-billed heron exhibits a uniform dark grey upperwing, a feature that aids in its identification. The bird's flight is notably slow, and it retracts its neck, a behavior that sets it apart from storks, cranes, and spoonbills, which extend their necks during flight.

Habitat

The great-billed heron favors coastal environments, making its home among islands, coral reefs, mangroves, and along large rivers. On occasion, this bird may venture inland to shallow ponds, expanding its typical coastal domain.

Distribution

With a vast range, the great-billed heron graces much of coastal Southern Asia and Australasia. Its presence is noted from the shores of Australia to the diverse landscapes of India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Behaviour

This heron is a master of stillness and precision, often remaining motionless as it awaits its prey or moving with deliberate stealth as it stalks. It hunts in shallow waters, using its long, sharp bill to spear fish with remarkable accuracy.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of the great-billed heron is primarily composed of fish, which it skillfully captures with its specialized bill in the shallow waters of its coastal habitat.

Conservation status

The IUCN Red List categorizes the great-billed heron as Least Concern, indicating that, for now, this species does not face an immediate threat of extinction in the wild.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Great-billed Herons on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Herons, Bitterns

A photo of a Agami Heron (Agamia agami)

Agami Heron

Agamia agami
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Pdydhdrexgi
Fantastic App
This is a really lovely app, for everyone interested in birds - from newbies to old hands. There is a very friendly feel to the community and you will genuinely learn a lot as you record your sightings and photos. There are lots of badges and competitions to keep you engaged, and a host of really useful features.
Anonymous
The best bird logging app
Birda is honestly the best bird logging app I have seen. I love all the features it has from being able to do a session and log all the birds you see in one sitting, to being able to connect with other birders from all over the globe!
Mike T
Sense of Community
A great app, which is continually being improved. What really comes through is the passion of those behind the app. The sense of community is brilliant, so much help and support provided to new and/or in experienced birders.
Dan R
Great app for bird fanatics
Great app for bird fanatics - very user friendly and a perfect place to share sightings.
Leonie
We've been waiting for an App like this
Excellent! We've been waiting for an app like this! Thank you! It would be nice if you could assign additional birds to sessions later!
Carl B
Helped me to identify more birds
Love this app and has helped me to identify more birds. The challenges and badges are great for keeping the motivation going to get out and keep birding.
Alice J
Awesome Birding Community
I absolutely love the community aspect of this app. The app is so user friendly and has fun interactive challenges to get you out birding. I’ve tried others but since I’ve started using Birda I’ve not gone back!
JCBirding
Just what birding needs
We need more fun in birding, for years it has had a reputation for being up tight and stuffy and only perused by retirees and anoraks. Birda helps change that perception and firmly brings birding into the 21st century! Fun, interactive while still contributing to science and conservation. If you aren’t on it, why not??
Unbridled Discoveries
Great app for bird lovers
I love this app! It’s a wonderful way to track birding sessions, and also connect you with fellow birders. I also really like the unidentified bird section, it’s a great community tool to help figure out what a never-before-seen bird is!
Nick S
Work together with community
Been loving using this app to log my bird sightings and work together with community members to identify different birds. I've already learned a lot since I started about a month ago!
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.