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Birds and Butterflies of Rhodes
RODOPTERA
Ardea purpurea
Purple heron (juvenile). Greek: πoρφυρoτσικvιάς (ανήλικος). Fokia, Pefki, September 2001.
Passage migrant, uncommon. Length 80-95 cm, wingspan 120-150 cm. Sexes similar. River mouths with dense vegetation, reservoirs. Secretive behaviour. Feeds mostly at dawn and dusk. Stand-and-wait and slow-stalk foraging methods. Takes mainly fish and amphibians, occasionally small mammals, reptiles, birds. Flies with retracted neck and slow wing beats.
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