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14 July 2015

Goliath Heron – Amaq Mangroves

Whilst birding the Amaq Mangroves I came across a Goliath Heron along the edge of an inland lagoon. This was only my second record of the species for Saudi Arabia and gave excellent views until it flew off after half an hour or so. In Saudi Arabia the Goliath Heron is an uncommon winter visitor as well as breeder to the southern Red Sea and especially offshore islands with the only inland record a bird present for several days in October at a Tabuk sewage farm. The Goliath Heron occurs from Africa south of Sahara as well as southwest Saudi Arabia and southwest Yemen, Iraq and southern Iran. They are also recorded from scattered sites in Indian Subcontinent from Pakistan to Bangladesh and south to Sri Lanka. The normally occur near water, fresh or salt and are frequently found in shallow water along lakeshores, also marshes, rivers, estuaries, reefs and mangrove creeks where they are almost completely confined to in Saudi Arabia. Their diet is mainly large fish, frogs, lizards, snakes, rodents, crabs, prawns and floating carrion. They are solitary and are normally seen alone or in pairs.
Goliath Heron

Goliath Heron

Goliath Heron