White-backed night heron

Taxonomy

The white-backed night heron was formally described in 1827 by the German naturalist Johann Wagler under the binomial name Ardea leuconotus. He specified the type locality as Senegambia. This species was formerly placed with the Japanese night heron and the Malayan night heron in the genus Gorsachius. Based on the results of a molecular genetic study published in 2023, it is now the only species placed in the resurrected genus Calherodius that had originally been introduced in 1855 by the French naturalist Charles Bonaparte. Bonaparte specified the type species as Ardea cucullata Lichtenstein which is now considered to be a junior synonym of Ardea leuconotus Wagler. The species is treated as monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.

Description

The white-backed night heron is 50 - in length with a black head and a short crest, or prominent feather display on the top of its head. The throat feathers are white, whereas the neck and breast are rufous, or a reddish-brown hue. The belly feathers are a whitish-brown and the legs are yellow. An immature heron can be identified by its streaked breast and the white spots on the upper-wing coverts. Chicks are covered with olive-brown down.

Distribution and habitat

The white-backed night heron is located throughout central and southern Africa, with a range estimated at 20900000 km2. Its primary habitat is dense forests with neighboring waterways, particularly streams, lakes, mangroves and marshes.

Behavior and ecology

The white-backed night heron can be found living individually or in pairs. Their nests are well-hidden, usually built in vegetation near water and sometimes in reedbeds, mangroves, rocks and caves. White-backed night herons are known foragers, meaning they search for food primarily along waterways. They have been observed to eat fish, amphibians, mollusks and insects.

Status

The population of the white-backed night heron is believed to be stable because it does not appear to undergo significant population declines or experience any notable threats. Due to these factors and its large range, the IUCN Red List has assessed the species to be of least concern. The species is currently experiencing a small number of threats, including habitat loss in southern Africa and hunting in Nigeria, where they are used for traditional medicine.

References

References

1. BirdLife International. (2016). "''Calherodius leuconotus''".
2. Wagler, Johann Georg. (1827). "Systema avium". J.G. Cottae.
3. (1979). "Check-List of Birds of the World". Museum of Comparative Zoology.
4. (2023). "Ultraconserved elements resolve the phylogeny and corroborate patterns of molecular rate variation in herons (Aves: Ardeidae)". Ornithology.
5. Bonaparte, Charles Lucien. (1855). ["Conspectus Generum Avium"](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/43549700 }} For a discussion of the publication date see: {{cite book). Apud E.J. Brill.
6. (1979). "Check-List of Birds of the World". Museum of Comparative Zoology.
7. (December 2023). "Ibis, spoonbills, herons, Hamerkop, Shoebill, pelicans". International Ornithologists' Union.
8. (2010). "Birds of the Horn of Africa". Bloomsbury.
9. (2002). "Newman's Birds of Southern Africa". Struik.
10. (2015). "Birds of Botswana". Princeton University Press.
11. (2016). "Species factsheet: ''Calherodius leuconotus''". BirdLife International.
12. A. P. Martin. "Whitebacked Night Heron".