You may not have expected to find Belo Dravu, or Eastern Reef Herons (Egretta sacra), in a list of forest birds, but actually they may be found in any aquatic habitat from an exposed reef to a small inland stream in a thick forest. Their diet is diverse—they primarily dine on fish, crustacea and molluscs, but will also eat insects and lizards. Belo Dravu usually capture their prey with a lightning strike after a stealthy approach, but sometimes after a clumsy pursuit through shallow water.

“Forests and Biodiversity – Too precious to lose!” is the theme of the upcoming International Day of Forests on March 21. Each day until then, we’ll be sharing information about a different bird highlighted in our special edition playing cards. We hope you enjoy learning more about the precious diversity you can find right here in our Fijian forests! #IntlForestDay #IDOF2020