• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
C2a(i)	A3cd+4cd; C2a(i); D	A2cd+3cd+4cd; C2a(i); D1

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2018	Critically Endangered	C2a(i)
2016	Critically Endangered	C2a(i)
2015	Critically Endangered	C2a(i)
2013	Critically Endangered	C2a(i)
2012	Critically Endangered	C2a(i)
2011	Critically Endangered	C2a(i)
2010	Critically Endangered	C2a(i)
2009	Critically Endangered	C2a(i)
2008	Critically Endangered
2007	Critically Endangered
2004	Endangered
2000	Endangered
1996	Endangered
1994	Endangered
1988	Threatened

Migratory status	not a migrant	Forest dependency	high
Land-mass type	continent	Average mass	-

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	165,000 km2	medium
Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding)	290,000 km2	medium
Number of locations	11-100	-
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	50-249 mature individuals	poor	estimated	2007
Population trend	decreasing	poor	inferred	2014-2046
Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	30-49%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	50-79%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	50-79%	-	-	-
Generation length	10.5 years	-	-	-
Number of subpopulations	2-100	-	-	-

Population justification: Though a complete population census is yet to be conducted, the current population size is thought to be best placed in the band 50-249 mature individuals (D. Wilson and J. Eames in litt. 2006).  This equates to 75-374 individuals in total, rounded here to 70-400 individuals.

Trend justification: A rapid decline is considered to be taking place in this species on the basis of habitat degradation and widespread disturbance, even in remote parts of the species's range (W. J. Duckworth in litt. 2006), and this is expected to become more rapid in the near future.

Country/Territory	Presence	Origin	Resident	Breeding visitor	Non-breeding visitor	Passage migrant
Bangladesh	possibly extinct	native	yes
Bhutan	extant	native	yes
India	extant	native	yes
Myanmar	extant	native		yes
Nepal	extinct	native		yes

Country/Territory	IBA Name
Bangladesh	Lawachara / West Bhanugach Reserved Forest
Bhutan	Ada lake / Puna Tsangchu
Bhutan	Jigme Dorji National Park
India	Bordoloni - Sampora
India	Dibru - Saikhowa Complex
India	Jamjing and Sengajan
India	Kamlang Wildlife Sanctuary and Reserve Forest
India	Kaziranga National Park
India	Maguri and Motapung Beels
India	Manabum and Tengapani Reserve Forests
India	Manas Reserve Forest
India	Namdapha National Park
India	Nameri National Park
India	Namsangmukh - Borduria
India	Pabitora Wildlife Sanctuary
India	Upper Dihing (East) Complex
India	Upper Dihing (West) Complex
Myanmar	Ayeyarwady River: Bhamo Section
Myanmar	Hkakaborazi
Myanmar	Hponkanrazi
Myanmar	Hukaung Valley
Myanmar	Nam Sam Chaung

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland	major	resident
Grassland	Subtropical/Tropical Seasonally Wet/Flooded	marginal	resident
Wetlands (inland)	Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands	suitable	resident
Wetlands (inland)	Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha)	major	resident
Wetlands (inland)	Permanent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under 8ha)	major	resident
Wetlands (inland)	Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls)	major	resident
Altitude	0 - 1500 m	Occasional altitudinal limits

Threat (level 1)	Threat (level 2)	Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Agro-industry farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Agriculture & aquaculture	Wood & pulp plantations - Agro-industry plantations	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use	Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target)	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Species mortality
Biological resource use	Logging & wood harvesting - Unintentional effects: (subsistence/small scale) [harvest]	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation
Energy production & mining	Renewable energy	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Human intrusions & disturbance	Recreational activities	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Whole (>90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 7
		Stresses Species disturbance, Reduced reproductive success
Human intrusions & disturbance	Work & other activities	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Whole (>90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 7
		Stresses Species disturbance, Reduced reproductive success
Natural system modifications	Dams & water management/use - Dams (size unknown)	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Pollution	Agricultural & forestry effluents - Type Unknown/Unrecorded	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation
Residential & commercial development	Commercial & industrial areas	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Future		Minority (<50%)		Very Rapid Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion

Purpose	Scale
Food - human	subsistence, national

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: White-bellied Heron Ardea insignis. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/white-bellied-heron-ardea-insignis on 27/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 27/12/2024.