Chinese Pond Heron (Ardeola bacchus)

OTHER NAMES: Chinese Pond-Heron

Latin Etymology: Ardeola ("small heron") bacchus (after Bacchus - for wine coloured breeding plumage)

Adult non-breeding plumage Chinese Pond Heron (Ardeola bacchus) at Ang Mo Kio, Singapore - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: ?  /  Length: 46cm  /  Wingspan: 75-90cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

This is a fairly average sized small heron species found broadly over continetal East-Asia, but perhaps notable most for the identification headache it causes - it is part of a group of three species, the other two being Javan Pond Heron and Indian Pond Heron that while in the non-breeding plumage appear functionally identical to each other, though distinct when breeding.  Fortunately for me, this bird isn't *quite* in full on non-breeding plumage and the identification can just about be made by the hint of maroon plumage around the face.  All three species can be found in Malaysia though, so care must be taken.

Related Species:
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Ardeidae 
Genus: Ardeola 
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

CAMBODIA - Khmer - កុកក្រកក្បាលត្នោតចាស់ ("Cinnamon, old brown head")

A locally abundant resident

 - Abundant at Prek Toal

MALAYSIA - Malay - Pucung Cina ("China Heron")
A fairly common non-breeding migrant.

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: A single individual in Kuala Lumpur in the central gardens.

SINGAPORE - Common

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Seen around the Lower Pierce Reservoir area

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto