Prakritinepal Blog calendar 2022 starts off with the photo of the Indian Pond Heron.

Photo: Indian Pond Heron
Location: Fewa Lake, Pokhara, Nepal

I was walking on the banks of the Fewa lake trying to spot some aquatic birds. The Indian pond heron looked different than usual as it was the breeding season. The nonbreeding brownish color had changed into a dark brownish back and a yellowish head and breast.

I slowly made my way down to the water level and waited for the bird to be in line with the Water hyacinths plants floating on the lake. I must have taken at least 10 photos of the bird in different position. One of the picture was of the bird covered by the plant with its head sticking out.

Tough choices to select the photo but I was able to narrow down to this image which shows almost all of the body in its wonderful breeding colors. Even the beak is a hint of blue.

Pretty common and widespread, Indian Pond Heron are solitary birds usually found around water bodies like lakes, rivers, ponds. They can also be spotted around agricultural areas and even in urban areas.

Their primary diet includes fishes, frogs, crustaceans, and other insects like dragonflies, bees, aquatic insects.