Nycticorax manillensis Vigors, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1831), 98; Sharpe,
Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1898), 26, 162; Hand-List (1899), 1, 198;
McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 34.
Nycticorax manilensis Oates, Cat. Birds' Eggs (1902), 2, 125.
Cuak-cuak, Bohol.
Bantayan (McGregor); Basilan (Everett); Bohol (McGregor); Caluya
(Porter); Camiguin N. (McGregor); Catanduanes (Whitehead); Cebu
(Everett, Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Leyte (Everett); Luzon
(Lindsay, Cuming, Whitehead); Marinduque (Steere Exp.); Masbate
(Bourns & Worcester); Mindanao (Platen, Steere Exp.); Mindoro
(McGregor); Negros (Everett, Bourns & Worcester, Keay); Panay
(Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Samar (Bourns & Worcester);
Sibuyan (Bourns & Worcester); Siquijor (Steere Exp., Bourns
& Worcester, Celestino); Tablas (Bourns & Worcester); Ticao
(McGregor). Western Celebes and northern Borneo.
Adult (sexes similar).--Above deep maroon; crown and crest greenish
black; long nuchal plumes whitish except at base and tip; a narrow
eyebrow stripe light chestnut mixed with whitish; below white,
throat more or less pervaded with chestnut; sides of face neck and
breast chestnut; under wing-coverts, axillars, and thighs light
chestnut mixed with white. Bill black; skin around eye dark green;
legs yellow, nails black. "Bill black; feet pale ocherous-white,
brown in front and upper part of toes; orbital skin yellowish green;
iris golden yellow." (Everett.)
Male.--Length, 635; culmen, 70; wing, 317; tail, 117; tarsus, 79.
Adult female.--Similar to the male in color. Length, 559; culmen,
76; wing, 381; tail, 123; tarsus, 81.
"Young.--Wings conspicuously chestnut; spots and streaks on upper
surface deep rufous or light chestnut; breast very broadly streaked
with black. 'Bill brown, lower mandible dirty yellowish; legs light
greenish yellow, claws gray; iris golden yellow.' (Everett)." (Sharpe.)
"Quite common, but very local in its habits. Feeds at night. Roosts
during the day in lofty trees, frequently choosing trees which stand
out in the open." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Oates records two eggs of the Manila night heron which were collected
by the Steere Expedition in Siquijor, February 15, and two eggs taken
by Moseley in May. The measurements are respectively: 56.3 by 36.8;
49.7 by 36.3; 60.9 by 37.5; 50.8 by 33.7.
Genus GORSACHIUS Bonaparte, 1855.
This genus resembles Nycticorax in having a short stout bill, deep
nasal groove, and stout legs and toes; it differs in having the
elongated crest feathers shorter and wider and in the coloration of
the plumage. The tarsus is covered with hexagonal scales but those
in front are very wide and appear as transverse plates.
Species.
a1. Head black; axillars barred with black and white; primaries with
whitish tips. ... melanolophus (p. 172)
a2. Head chestnut; axillars rufous, barred with black; primaries
rufous at tip, the white tips obsolete ... goisagi (p. 174)