Chinese Pond-Heron (Ardeola bacchus)

Very rare vagrant bird with few sight records in Sri Lanka. It breeds in Assam and Burma to Eastern China and Manchuria and in the Andaman islands. Non-breeding and immature Chinese Pond-Herons are indistinguishable from the common resident Indian Pond-Herons. However, during the breeding season, the Chinese Pond-Heron's distinctive maroon-chestnut head and neck make identification easier. As a result, all recorded sightings of this species in Sri Lanka have occurred at the end of the migratory season. 

Chinese Pond Heron was first time recorded in Sri Lanka by Dieter Zingel (Germany) on 30^th April 1995 at Deberawewa (Hoffmann, T. W., 1996). Later on sight record(s) available by Rex. I. de Silva from Negambo Lagoon (Kotagama S. & Ratnavira G. 2017: 258)

There is also a observation of two birds with photographic evidences on 16th May 2020 by Thishan Jeevaka Perera at Halmillagolawa Wewa, Saliya Wewa, Puttalam, according to the Ceylon Bird Club notes (https://www.ceylonbirdclub.org/the_ceylon_bird_club_news.php)

Recent observations reported in the eBird with photographic evidences

1) A single bird with breeding plumage by Alexander Cherinko at Flooded Fields near Rekawa Beach, Tangalle, Hambantota on 25th April 2021
2) A single bird with breeding plumage by Edmundas Greimas Sigiriya Water Garden, Dambulla, Matale on 8th April 2024
3) A single bird with breeding plumage by Tharaka Dhananjaya, Ashan Tharaka Piyasinghe and Osanda Dissanayake at Anavilundawa Bird sanctuary on 4th April 2025.

References:

• Hoffmann, T. W., 1996. Ceylon Bird Club Notes 1995. Loris, 21(1), 16-18.
• Kotagama, S., Ratnavira, G. 2010. An illustrated Guide to the Birds of Sri Lanka. Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka, Colombo