Bennu heron

The **Bennu heron** (*Ardea bennuides*) is a very large species of heron that originally lived in what is now the location of the United Arab Emirates during the early-to-middle Holocene and was once extinct, but has since been brought back from extinction by SciiFii and reintroduced throughout the modern United Arab Emirates and introduced to many nearby areas to help boost biodiversity. The Bennu heron is the largest known species of heron, growing to 2 meters (6.6 feet) tall and has a wingspan up to 2.7 m (8.9 ft). Thus, it surpasses the size of the second largest living species in the heron family, the goliath heron. The plumage is largely ashy-grey above, and slightly ligher grey below with some black on the flanks. Adults have the head and neck greyish-white with a broad black supercilium that terminates in the slender, dangling crest. The scapular feathers are elongated and the feathers at the base of the neck are also somewhat elongated. Immature birds lack the dark stripe on the head and are generally duller in appearance than adults, with a grey head and neck, and a small, dark grey crest. The yellow beak is long, straight and powerful, and is brighter in colour in breeding adults. The iris is pale-yellow and the legs are dark gray and very long. The call, shriller when uttered by males, is a weee-ah, hyo-hyo or a heee-ah, heeah-heeah.

Bennu herons are solitary foragers and are highly territorial towards other bennu herons entering their feeding territories. On occasions, two may be seen together but these are most likely to be a breeding pair or immatures. A diurnal and often rather inactive feeder, this heron often hunts by standing in the shallows, intently watching the water at its feet. This is a typical feeding method among large Ardea herons and it can forage in deeper waters than most due to its larger size. It may also perch on heavy floating vegetation, in order to prevent water from rippling around them. As prey appears, the heron rapidly spears it with open mandibles, often spearing both mandibles through the fish's body, and then swallows it whole. It is possible that the bill is used in a lure-like fashion occasionally, attracting fish to the immobile, large object submerged in the water. The handling period is long, with herons often placing their struggling prey on floating vegetation while preparing to swallow it. Due to its generally slow movements and handling time, the bennu heron is frequently vulnerable to kleptoparasitism. In Arabia, white-tailed eagles frequently pirate food caught by Bennu herons, although other large birds such as black storks and pelicans may also steal their prey. Prey almost entirely consists of fish. The Bennu heron specializes in relatively large fish, with an average prey weight range in Natal of 500–700 grams (1.1–1.5 lbs) and length of 30 centimeters (12 inches). Exceptionally, the largest fish targeted may measure 65 centimeters (25 inches) although the heron rejects the largest fish it can catch. Small fish are generally ignored and the average Bennu heron catches around 2 or 3 fish a day. Breams, mullet, tilapia and carp have locally been recorded as preferred species. Any other small animals that they come across may be eaten, including frogs, prawns, small mammals, lizards, snakes, insects and even carrion.

Its breeding season coincides generally with the start of the rainy season, which is around November to March. In some areas, breeding is year around, with no discernable peak season. Breeding may not occur every year. Fairly adaptable in their nesting site selection, Bennu herons generally prefer to nest on islands or islands of vegetation. The birds may abandon a nesting site if the island becomes attached to the mainland. Lakes or other large bodies of water usually hold colonies. They nest fairly low in variously sedge, reeds, bushes, trees or even on rocks or large tree stumps. The nesting dispersal seems highly variable as everything from a solitary pair (with no other Bennu heron nests anywhere near) to fairly large colonies have been observed, with no seeming local geographical preferences. Occasionally, they may join mixed-species colonies including other heron species, cormorants, darters, ibises and gulls. The breeding displays are not well known and may be subdued, due in part to breeding pairs possibly reunited year after year. The nests are large but often flimsy (depending on available vegetation around the nesting site), often measuring around 1.5 to 2 meters (4.9 to 6.5 feet) in diameter. Eggs are pale blue, averaging 96 by 72 mm (3.7 by 2.8 in) and weighing around 124 grams (4.3 oz). The clutch size can range from 1 to 4 (usually 2 or 3). Incubation lasts 28 to 36 days. Although they can sometimes replace clutches, often only around 25% of eggs succeed in hatching due to various environmental conditions or predation. The young are fed by regurgitation in the nest and, after a few weeks, can bill jab and practice defensive postures against each other. At around six weeks they leave the nest completely. The parents continue to tend to them for variously 40 to 80 days. Around 58% of fledglings who successfully leave the nest survive to adulthood. Locally, the white-tailed eagle and the golden eagle may be a predator in colonies. Despite their ponderous movements, Bennu herons can think quickly and often take flight before danger approaches. Also, due to its size and formidable bill, the full-grown Bennu heron may not have any regular predators.

The conservation status of the Bennu heron is **Near Threatened** due to some habitat loss and historic poaching, however, thanks to the conservationists, the Bennu heron is a protected species and has since made a comeback. Currently, the Bennu heron is one of the most common de-extincted wading bird in captivity.