World's largest heron

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World's largest heron
Photo Information
Copyright: Ralf Lukovic (ralfsworld) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 516 W: 90 N: 1771] (5916)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-08-07
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L 4.5-5.6 IS USM
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-02-04 1:19
Viewed: 582
Points: 42
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Today's post is from my archives. Goliath heron captured in Tarangire National Park, Tanzania. This one was from a car, handhold @ 400mm natural light... If I remember right this heron is largest one of all herons and it is colorful too :)

The Goliath Heron (Ardea goliath) is a large wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae. It is found in sub-Saharan Africa, with smaller numbers in Southwest and South Asia.

This is the world's largest heron. The standing height averages over 1.4 m (4.5 ft), with a wingspan of at least 2 m (7 ft) and a weight of about 4 kg (9 lb). In flight it has a slow and rather ponderous look and, unlike some other herons, its legs are not held horizontally. Male and female look similar, with an overall covering of slate gray and chestnut feathers. The head and its bushy crest, face, back and sides of the neck are chestnut. The chin, throat, foreneck and upper breast are white, with black streaks across the foreneck and upper breast. The lower breast and belly are buff with black streaks. The upper mandible is black and the lores and orbital areas are yellow with a greenish tinge. The eyes are yellow and legs and feet are black. Juveniles look similar to the adults, but are paler.

Important habitats are lakes, swamps, mangrove wetlands, with few cool water, sometimes river deltas.

Goliath Herons feed on fish, amphibians and little rodents. A diurnal and often rather inactive feeder, this heron hunts by standing in the shallows, or on floating vegetation, intently watching the water at its feet. As prey appears, the heron rapidly spears it with open mandibles.

Its breeding season is from November to March. These birds build a large stick nest in trees overhanging water, on the ground and in low bushes.
uleko, crs, horia, Rolf, matatur, marhowie, jaycee, vanderschelden, rousettus, hester, cicindela, yasin has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To cicindela: Thanks Radomirralfsworld 2 06-25 08:56
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2230 W: 168 N: 6482] (20348)
  • [2008-02-04 1:57]

Hej Ralf,
What a splendid capture of this elegant Heron - it does look really big with long legs!! I like its pose and the natural background. Great DOF and beautiful sharp details and colours. Well done!
Many thanks, Ulla

  • Great 
  • crs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 109 W: 0 N: 153] (617)
  • [2008-02-04 1:59]

Hi Ralf,

Your photo has an excelent atmosfere. There is a very good light that gave nice colors and texture to bird's plumage. Background as well as green plant in front of bird are great.

Thanks for sharing,
Cristian

  • Great 
  • Scott Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 211 W: 0 N: 287] (1366)
  • [2008-02-04 2:15]

Really nice .....

TFS
Scott

Hi Ralf

Good addition to TN. Well composed with great sharpness.

Chris

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2059 W: 220 N: 3571] (11664)
  • [2008-02-04 3:29]

Hi Ralf

A very beautiful shot of this grand heron!
It's a very nice shot in terms of sharpness especially considering the fact that it's taken handheld at such a long focal length.
Very beautiful colors, too and the side POV is great for the pose you captured it in as well.
Great work!

Bravo and TFS
Horia

Hello Ralf,
Excellent photo with a very nice environment. Very good sharpness and beautiful natural colours. Good composition.
Regards,
Peter

Very beautiful colours and light. Great sharpness and focus. Good composition.
Best wishes,
Achim

  • Great 
  • Rolf Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 60 W: 0 N: 29] (194)
  • [2008-02-04 5:58]

Hi Ralf,
Great picture of this heron.
Wonderful pose, good sharpness and natural colours.
TFS
Rolf

Very good sharp photo and very well composed.TFS.
Mike

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2356 W: 134 N: 6487] (20173)
  • [2008-02-04 6:30]

Hej Ralf,
I have seen the Goliath Heron in Gambia some years back and I wish I could have taken a shot like this. This technically superb and well composed against the sandbank that makes him stand out.
Superb!
TFS/Hälsningar,
Ivan

Det var förbaskat kallt i blåsten på piren imorse men solen sken lite.

A handsome and proud looking bird Ralf, taken from a good POV under soft illumination and a spot-on focus provides us with a high degree of fine detail. TFS my firend.
Regards,
Mehmet

Hi Ralf
Great composition
Really fine detail and sharpness
Nice natural color
tfs jon

Well done Ralf, Very good detail, color, and light..
Big is Beautiful :)
Howard

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1632 W: 8 N: 3972] (12720)
  • [2008-02-04 10:28]

Hi Ralf,

This Heron is beautiful - and very big. His colors are wonderful. I love the pose with the opened beak. Good details of his face, neck and feathers. A wonderful natural setting.

Jane

Hi Ralf, beautiful Heron with splendid colors, good details and excellent sharpness, very well done, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1250 W: 103 N: 4150] (18899)
  • [2008-02-04 20:14]

Hello Ralf, that's an excellent shot of this Heron, truly beautiful! Perfect composition and great technique, thanks!

Mario

The biggest Heron, Ralf.
And it is a beautiful bird as well due to that specific color.
Well photographed.
TFS
Annick

Hi Ralf,
Great portraite of the largest heron. sharp details, great POV and composition. Splendid coloration. Water colors brownish by reflection very nice. good notes. Thanks for sharing, best wishes
Ahmet

  • Great 
  • hester Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1489 W: 18 N: 2961] (10586)
  • [2008-02-13 10:54]

Hi Ralk

What a great looking heron. That must be an amazing sight. Beautifully sharp, nice exposure and good composition. Really beautiful colouring on the neck

TFS

Karan

Hello Ralf!
This is a very good capture of so interesting heron species. I did not know that they can be so big, even if European species are not "very small" :>
Very nice POV and sharpness. You are lucky that you had possibilities to observe all these beautiful birds in the wild :)
TFS and I hope to see many more interesting birds from you in the future! :)
Best greetings from Lodz,
Radomir

  • Great 
  • yasin Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 30 W: 1 N: 39] (119)
  • [2008-06-25 3:00]

Excellent composition of The Goliath Heron, Ralf! Full of color and so details!
TFS,
Best regards,
Bima

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