Bird
Indian Pond-Heron
Ardeola grayiiAlso known as Paddybird, Indian Pond Heron
Indian pond-herons are masters of camouflage, blending seamlessly into muddy shorelines with muted earthy plumage when standing stationary. The moment they take flight, they transform dramatically, flashing brilliant white wings and tail feathers that seem to appear out of nowhere. Highly adaptable, these compact waders stalk prey with slow, deliberate steps along paddy fields, ditch margins, and urban ponds across South Asia.
WaderCamouflagedWetland
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preySmall Fish, Frogs, Aquatic Insects
Predators
- Raptors
- Snakes
- Domestic Cats
ThreatsWetland degradation, water pollution, agricultural pesticide runoff
HabitatsPaddy fields, freshwater marshes, ponds, ditches, riverbanks
Life span10–15 years in the wild
Classification
- OrderPelecaniformes
- FamilyArdeidae
- GenusArdeola
- SpeciesArdeola grayii
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Patience pays off: Watch quietly near muddy banks where they freeze motionless before striking.
- Look for the flight flash: Watch for brilliant white wings that reveal their location when flushing.
- Maintain distance: Observe from several meters away to avoid disturbing active hunting.
Frequent Companion "Cattle Egret in Breeding Plumage" by Koshyk is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
Co-occupant Shantanu Kuveskar / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Kim, Hyun-tae, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Kim, Hyun-tae · cc-by
Close Relative Ariefrahman / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
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Found in Collections
Ecosystem chain
Wetland Territory
Indian Pond-Heron is found in this collection. Identify it in Fauna to fill this slot and continue your progress.
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