Michele Mendi

Very large breeding range, from Iberia to E Asia (lacking from driest regions in C Asia); also in Africa S of the Sahara and in S Asia. These last ‘southern’ populations are resident and the ones in Europe and the northern part of Asia, migratory (BirdLife International 2021). European populations winter across the Sahelian wetlands (Zwarts et al. 2009).

Season of assessment

B

Population trendIncreasing
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		57700-97300,73500
Red List categoryLC
Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
Map

Overall Connectivity for Purple Heron

Parallel migration in part, so birds breeding in further E regions also overwinter in regions further E in Africa (e.g., no recoveries from E Europe in Senegambia). Recoveries from W/SW Europe in winter mostly from Senegambia to Mali; from C/SE Europe up to Nigeria. High overlapping in Mali, with recoveries from birds from all Europe. Birds from Russia winter in E Africa (Hushlan & Hancock 2005), though such data are not available in this Atlas. Recoveries suggest broad front migration even across the Mediterranean.

Recoveries by Condition for Purple Heron

Overall, most recoveries due to birds found dead, either shot (33%) or found dead other than shot or intentionally taken or found sick/wounded (35%). This figure, however, has changed over time. Up to 1990, most recoveries were caused by birds found dead/shot. From 1991-present, 48% of recoveries are due to birds found alive identified with leg ring(s) or other means. The proportion of herons dead by shot is nowadays <5%, and the proportion of birds found dead or sick/wounded is 32%.

Annual Movements for Purple Heron

Breeding quarters left around Jul; recoveries in S Europe mostly from Aug to Oct, later in N Africa. Recoveries in the Sahel all year round, owing to ‘summering’ birds, which comprise mostly immatures. Migration to Africa fast; GPS-tracking reveal that birds can reach the Sahel (ca. 4000 km) within 5-7 days from Europe (Van Der Winden et al. 2010). One individual even flew 5600 km non-stop, mostly over sea. Migration occurs mostly at night. Herons can make few one-day stopovers in Europe or N Africa, but the long stopovers used to gain fuel are carried out during a period of weeks before departure or after arrival south of the Sahara (Van Der Winden et al. 2010).

Connectivity by Month by Region for Purple Heron

Recoveries un Europe mostly up to Sep in autumn. Arrival to N Africa mostly in Sep, and to the Sahelian belt in Oct. Movements back to breeding quarters patent in Africa in Mar, also in Europe. Many recoveries in Europe in Apr, showing important passage to breeding quarters. Besides this general pattern: (1) wintering in Europe reported, with recoveries as far as The Netherlands in Dec; (2) summering in Africa also detected, in this last case mostly due to non-breeding, immature birds.

Juan Arizaga

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
BirdLife International2021 . Species factsheet: Ardea purpurea.
Hushlan, J. A., Hancock, J. A.2005 . Herons. Bird families of the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford
Van Der Winden, J., Poot, M. J. M., Van Horssen, P. W.2010 . Large Birds can Migrate Fast: The Post-Breeding Flight of the Purple Heron Ardea purpurea to the Sahel. Ardea 98: 395–402
Zwarts, L., Bijlsma, R. G., van der Kamp, J., Wymenga, E. 2009 . Living on the edge: Wetlands and birds in a changing Sahel. KNNV Publishing, Zeist

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