Appearance:

Most similar to Grey Heron but leaves a much darker impression, has a slimmer body, neck and wings. The bill is markedly thinner and is almost level with the flat forehead. Adult birds have black longitudinal stripes along the rufous sides of the neck, and a black crown. Immature birds have more diffuse streaking, and are sandy brown instead of grey. Coverts are also brownish, and partially remains in first summer birds. In flight the dark underwings of adult birds are obvious. The folded neck creates a bigger and more angular bulge and the very long toes are often sprawled. More secretive behaviour than Grey Heron.

Sound:

Quite similar to Grey Heron, but not so vocal. Pitch slightly higher and remains stable throughout the short call. Volume muffled and timbre drier.

Call:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Appearance:

Forked and fairly long tail. Clearly bigger than Storm Petrel, with more slender appearance and longer wings. Generally not as black, and shows brownish tone to plumage. The white rump patch is oval, has a weak grey center stripe, and does not reach as far down on the sides as in Storm Petrel. Light grey upper greater coverts form a wing-band. Underside of wings all dark. Flight pattern variable, with frequent changes in direction and speed. Sometimes glides like a shearwater but at other times shows surprisingly deep wing-beats. Does not patter surface, but will rest on water. Visits breeding ground only at night, and is usually only seen after storms.

Sound:

Only calls at breeding ground. A series of accentuated cooing, interrupted by a squeaky "inbreath" and a loud, absurd, fanfare-like "kaaa-ka-ka-kaaa-ka".

Calls:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

CC

CC-sound:Steph, Licence,Link.