Malayan Night Heron
Gorsachius melanolophus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPelecaniformes (Pelicans, Herons, Ibises, and Allies)
- FamilyArdeidae (Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns)
- GenusGorsachius (Malayan and Japanese Night Herons)
- SpeciesGorsachius melanolophus (Malayan Night Heron)
About the Malayan Night Heron
The Malayan night heron (Gorsachius melanolophus), also known as Malaysian night heron and tiger bittern, is a medium-sized heron. It is distributed in southern and eastern Asia. The Malayan night heron has been found in India, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Japan. It is a vagrant in Palau and Korea. Its range size is estimated at 1,240,000 km2. One roadkilled bird was discovered on Christmas Island, Australia where it is likely a vagrant. This bird occurs in forests, streams, and marshes. In Japan, population densities of the herons increased as undisturbed forest cover on islands increased.
The Malayan night heron is about 48 cm (19 in) long. The wingspan is about 86 cm (34 in). It is stocky, with a short beak. Its neck and breast are rufous. There are streaks going down the centre of the neck to the breast. The upperparts are chestnut and vermiculated. The flight feathers are blackish. The crown is black, the chin is white, and the eyes are yellow. The beak is black and the legs are greenish. The juvenile is greyish... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Malayan Night Heron in Manas National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Manas National Park
Indian Pond Heron
Ardeola grayii
Little Egret
Egretta garzetta
intermediate egret
Egretta intermedia
Striated Heron
Butorides striata
Great Egret
Ardea alba
Purple Heron
Ardea purpurea
Grey Heron
Ardea cinerea
Black-crowned Night Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
Chinese Pond Heron
Ardeola bacchus
Grey Pelican
Pelecanus philippensis
Glossy Ibis
Plegadis falcinellus
Black-headed Ibis
Threskiornis melanocephalus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cuc Phuong National Park | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 2 | Way Kambas National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 3 | Manas National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 4 | Taroko National Park | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | |
| 5 | Kaeng Krachan National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 6 | Periyar National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 7 | Royal Manas National Park | 🇧🇹 Bhutan | |
| 8 | Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 9 | Wilpattu National Park | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 10 | Khao Luang National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 11 | Cat Tien National Park | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 12 | Khao Sok National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 13 | Khao Yai National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 14 | Sepilok | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 15 | Danum Valley Conservation Area | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 16 | Sinharaja Forest Reserve | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Malayan Night Heron in Manas National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Malayan Night Heron sighting in Manas National Park, based on 63 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Malayan Night Heron in Manas National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Malayan Night Heron in Manas National Park in our monthly data.