Indian Pond Heron

Ardeola grayii (Sykes, 1832)

≈38 cmLength83 cmWingspan253 gWeight

It is inconspicuous when sitting, with streaked olive-brown plumage, but its bright white wings stand out as it takes off.

Busiest months: February · Most records: India, Sri Lanka, Nepal

Least Concern

How to identify

Field marks

Stocky shape; short neck
Short, stout bill; yellowish-brown back
Bright white wings revealed on takeoff
Adult has long neck feathers in summer

Voice

Usually almost silent, but gives a grating squawk when alarmed or near the nest.

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: February · Most records: India, Sri Lanka, Nepal

Indian Pond Heron has been recorded at 482 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 20 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Changaram Wetlands – EzhupunnaIndia5,574 records
Bharatpur – Keoladeo Ghana NPIndia4,156 records
Saul Kere / Sowl KereIndia4,149 records

More places

Kanha NP – Mukki ZoneIndia3,978 records
GKVK CampusIndia3,132 records
Hoskote / Hosakote KereIndia2,893 records
Krishnampathi Lake, SeeranaickenpalayamIndia2,500 records
Doddanekundi KereIndia2,356 records
Sultanpur National ParkIndia2,254 records
IIT BombayIndia2,181 records

Countries and regions with the most records

India Sri Lanka Nepal Bangladesh Pakistan Oman United Arab Emirates Myanmar (Burma)

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

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.

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