See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/264865315

On the breeding of the Grey Heron Ardea cinerea in Algeria

Article  in  Zoology and Ecology · July 2014

DOI: 10.1080/21658005.2014.909155

CITATION READS

1 702

5 authors, including:

Riad Nedjah Farrah Samraoui

Université 8 mai 1945 - Guelma Université 8 mai 1945 - Guelma
39 PUBLICATIONS   149 CITATIONS    99 PUBLICATIONS   928 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Abdennour Boucheker Boudjéma Samraoui

53 PUBLICATIONS   170 CITATIONS   
Badji Mokhtar - Annaba University
265 PUBLICATIONS   9,450 CITATIONS   
SEE PROFILE
SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Diversity and Conservation of Odonata in Europe and the Mediterranean View project

Ecology of waterbirds View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Boudjéma Samraoui on 24 April 2015.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

This article was downloaded by: [Professor Boudjema Samraoui]
On: 11 July 2014, At: 09:03
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer
House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK

Zoology and Ecology

Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information:
http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tzec20

On the breeding of the Grey Heron Ardea cinerea in

Algeria
a a a b
Riad Nedjah , Farrah Samraoui , Abdennour Boucheker , Ahmed H. Alfarhan &
ab
Boudjéma Samraoui
a
Laboratoire de Recherche et de Conservation des Zones Humides, University of
Guelma, Guelma 24000, Algeria
b
Department of Botany and Microbiology, Centre of Excellence for Research in
Biodiversity, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi
Arabia
Published online: 23 Apr 2014.

To cite this article: Riad Nedjah, Farrah Samraoui, Abdennour Boucheker, Ahmed H. Alfarhan & Boudjéma
Samraoui (2014): On the breeding of the Grey Heron Ardea cinerea in Algeria, Zoology and Ecology, DOI:
10.1080/21658005.2014.909155

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21658005.2014.909155

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE

Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained
in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no
representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of
the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors,
and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied
upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall
not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other
liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or
arising out of the use of the Content.

This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic
reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any
form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://
www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions
 Zoology and Ecology, 2014
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21658005.2014.909155

On the breeding of the Grey Heron Ardea cinerea in Algeria

Riad Nedjaha, Farrah Samraouia, Abdennour Bouchekera, Ahmed H. Alfarhanb and Boudjéma Samraouia,b*
a
Laboratoire de Recherche et de Conservation des Zones Humides, University of Guelma, Guelma 24000, Algeria;
b
Department of Botany and Microbiology, Centre of Excellence for Research in Biodiversity, College of Science,
King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
(Received 20 September 2013; accepted 14 March 2014)

During the period 2002–2012, we assessed the breeding status of the Grey Heron Ardea cinerea in Algeria by surveying
all the major wetlands in the region. We located two distinct breeding sites; one of them was recorded for the first time.
We also investigated nest site selection, measured breeding parameters and derived a growth curve for developing
chicks. Although wintering Grey Herons increased in numbers in the region, the number of breeding pairs did not
Downloaded by [Professor Boudjema Samraoui] at 09:04 11 July 2014

change markedly over the past century. The reasons for the scarcity of Grey Heron breeding pairs in Algeria and in the
rest of North Africa are discussed.

2002–2012 metais atlikus stebėjimus didžiausiose regiono pelkėse buvo įvertintas pilkojo garnio Ardea cinerea perėjimas
Alžyre. Aptiktos dvi perimvietės, viena iš jų užregistruota pirmą kartą. Ištirtas lizdo vietos pasirinkimas, perėjimo para-
metrai, sudaryta jauniklių augimo kreivė. Nors per praėjusį šimtmetį žiemojančių pilkųjų garnių skaičius regione didėjo,
perinčių porų skaičius beveik nesikeitė. Straipsnyje aptariamos priežastys, susijusios su nedideliu perinčių pilkųjų garnių
porų skaičiumi Alžyre ir visoje šiaurės Afrikoje.
Keywords: wetlands; water birds; Ardeidae; breeding success; distribution; North Africa

Introduction century. Although the breeding biology of the Grey

The Grey Heron is the most widespread heron in Eurasia
(Kushlan and Hancock 2005). Common in winter and on
passage, the Grey Heron Ardea cinerea is the least abun-
dant species of the colonial herons and egrets breeding
in North Africa (Thévenot, Vernon, and Bergier 2003;
Isenmann et al. 2005; Samraoui et al. 2011). In the nine-
teenth century, breeding in North Africa was only certain
for Lake Fetzara with probable but unconfirmed reports
for Lake Ichkeul (Tunisia) and Northern Morocco (Heim
de Balsac and Mayaud 1962). A century later, the situa-
tion in the region has barely changed with rare and spo-
radic breeding being the rule in Tunisia (Isenmann et al.
2005), Algeria (Ledant et al. 1981; Isenmann and Moali
2000; Samraoui et al. 2011) and Morocco (Thévenot,
Vernon, and Bergier 2003; El Hamoumi and Qninba
2008). In sharp contrast, following the decline in human
persecution and the expansion of rice agriculture, the
Grey Heron staged a remarkable recovery in Southern
Europe in the late part of the twentieth century (Marion
1997; Schmid, Volet, and Thoma 2004; Campos and
Fernández-Cruz 2006; Fasola et al. 2010). In the
Camargue, the increase went from two pairs in 1964
(Blondel 1965) to a peak of 877 pairs in 1989 (Hafner,
Johnson, and Walmsley 1984; Kayser et al. 1994).
Contrary to what happened on the northern shores of the
Mediterranean Basin, there was no significant increase in
Numidia or other parts of North Africa over the past
Heron is relatively well documented in Europe (Milstein,
Prestt, and Bell 1970; Marion 1979; Campos and
Fernández-Cruz 1991; Lekuona and Campos 1995), there
is scant information on its breeding ecology in North
Africa. The present study assesses the reproductive status
of the Grey Heron in Algeria and documents the breed-
ing phenology and habitat characteristics of the species
at the southern edge of its range. Information on egg
dimensions and chick development is also provided and
compared to that of other species of herons and ibis. The
study of the reproduction of the Grey Heron in the
region may shed light on important selective forces that
regulate its populations across its distributional range.
Materials and methods
Between 2002 and 2012, we sampled all major wetlands
within Numidia, North-East Algeria (Figure 1), looking
for heron colonies (Samraoui and Samraoui 2008). We
focus in this paper on the Grey Heron which was
recorded to breed at two sites (see Results): Lake
Fetzara, a vast brackish marsh of 24,000 ha dominated
by Phragmites australis and Scirpus maritimus, and
Dakhla, a freshwater marsh of 8 ha covered by Salix
atrocinerea, Cladium mariscus and Scirpus lacustris
(Figure 2). Each nest was labelled with a distinct code,
and nest height above water and nest diameters were

*Corresponding author. Email: bsamraoui@yahoo.fr

© 2014 Nature Research Centre

 2 R. Nedjah et al.
Downloaded by [Professor Boudjema Samraoui] at 09:04 11 July 2014
Figure 1. Study location in Numidia, North-Eastern Algeria.
measured. Eggs were weighted using a Pesola spring bal-
ance with an accuracy of 0.1 g, and their lengths (L) and
breadths (B) were measured to the nearest 0.1 mm using
vernier calipers. Egg volume (V, in cm3) was calculated
using Hoyt’s formula (V = 0.509 L × B2) (Hoyt 1979).
Chicks were individually marked, and their mass, total
tarsus, and head and bill length (tip of bill to back of
skull) were recorded at the age of 1–27 days (Figure 3).
Chicks were measured on 5–6 occasions before they
became too mobile and no measurements could be made
after the age of one month. Hatching dates were used to
infer the sequence of egg-laying. Data analysis was car-
ried out using R (R Development Core Team 2009).
Mean values are given ±1 standard deviation (SD).
Results
Nesting sites and timing of breeding
On 7 April 2006, two nests of Grey Heron, one of them
unoccupied and the other containing a clutch of three
eggs, were discovered at Lake Fetzara. Both nests were
located in a stand of Phragmites australis, which occurred
in patches across the marsh. Other nearby stands of
Phragmites contained a loose colony of the Purple Heron
Ardea purpurea. The same year, two nests of Grey Heron
were also discovered at Dakhla, a new breeding site, but
they proved to be inaccessible. They were located in the
middle of a plurispecific heron and ibis colony which
included Purple Heron Ardea purpurea, Cattle Egret
Ardea ibis, Little Egret Egretta garzetta, Black-crowned
Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax, Squacco Heron
Ardeola ralloides and Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus.
On 30 May 2007, another nest containing a brood of
four chicks was discovered at Dakhla. Once again, it
was part of a mixed heron and ibis colony (Figure 2).
The latest breeding event was also noted at Dakhla in
2012 when a preliminary visit on 26 April allowed the
records of two breeding pairs. A subsequent visit on 30
April led to the discovery of two nests with broods of
three and two chicks, respectively. These chicks were
aged between two and three weeks, indicating a hatching
date around 10 April. Based on an incubation period of
25–26 days (Cramp and Simmons 1977), the onset of
egg-laying must have occurred in the first half of March.
Grey Heron nests were located on Salix atrocinerea
surrounded by dense stands of Cladium mariscus and
 Zoology and Ecology 3
Downloaded by [Professor Boudjema Samraoui] at 09:04 11 July 2014

Figure 2. General (top) and closer (bottom) view of the heron colony at Dakhla in 2007.

they were distinguishable from Purple Heron nests only

because of their larger sizes and nest height. A summary
of nest characteristics is presented in Table 1.

Egg measurements
The mean egg weight, length, breadth and volume
recorded in one single clutch (N = 3 eggs) at Lake
Fetzara were 57.0 ± 5.1 g, 60.9 ± 2.2 mm, 42.2 ± 1.1 mm
and 55.3 ± 4.7 cm3, respectively.

Breeding
In 2006, the fate of the clutch at Lake Fetzara and two
nests at Dakhla could not be monitored but observations
of provisioning by adults in the latter site strongly sug-
gest successful breeding. In 2007, the Grey Heron man-
aged to fledge three chicks out of a brood of four. One
Figure 3. A brood of three Grey Heron nestlings at Dakhla in chick, with a hatching rank C, died within a week. In
2007.
 4 R. Nedjah et al.
Table 1. Characteristics of four Grey Heron nests at Lake Fetzara and Dakhla, North-East Algeria.
Sites Ext. diam. (cm) Nesting height (cm)
Fetzara 100 70
Dakhla 2006 70 160
Dakhla 2012 100 100
Dakhla 2012 70 240
Mean ± SD 85.0 ± 17.3 142.5 ± 75.0
2012, all five chicks survived up to the fledging time
when last monitored.
Growth of nestlings
No attempt was made to fit a more elaborate function as
for the age considered (1–27 days) the growth rates for
all variables (mass, tarsus, head and bill) (Table 2)
Downloaded by [Professor Boudjema Samraoui] at 09:04 11 July 2014
were essentially linear, best described by the equation
y = ax + b, calculated by the least squares regression of
body measurements against chick age (Figure 4).
Discussion
This study documents for the first time a successful breed-
ing of the Grey Heron in Algeria suggesting that local
habitats are adequate to cater for successful development
of Grey Heron broods. Ground surveys were used to find
heron nests, although in marshes like Lake Fetzara or the
Mekhada aerial surveys are more suited for covering such
huge and inaccessible wetlands. However, numerous visits
to all major wetlands in Numidia over 11 consecutive
years (Samraoui and Samraoui 2008) make it unlikely that
colonies or even large numbers of solitary nests could
have escaped our notice. The species previously bred in
Algeria at Lake Fetzara (Heim de Balsac and Mayaud
1962), Lake Tonga (Ledant et al. 1981) and in a few scat-
tered localities (Isenmann and Moali 2000). Dakhla is a
new breeding site for the Grey Heron in Algeria and is so
far an unprotected marsh threatened by human encroach-
ment. Estimates of the present study indicate that the Grey
Heron population in Numidia could not exceed a total of
12–15 breeding pairs. These results are in line with previ-
ous distribution and estimates of breeding pairs of Grey
Heron in Algeria.
It is unknown whether breeding pairs are residents.
They might be just aestivating birds like many other colo-
nial herons (Purple Heron, Squacco Heron, Black-
crowned Night Heron). The onset of egg-laying (from
March to early April) in Numidia is relatively late
Table 2. Growth rates of a brood of Grey Heron chicks from
1 to 27 days of age at Dakhla in 2007.
Mean Intercept r2 p N (chicks)
−1
Mass gain (g d ) 49.6 67.3 0.97 0.0001
Tarsus growth (mm d−1) 4.8 18.3 0.96 0.0001
Head and bill (mm d−1) 5.2 49.8 0.96 0.0001
Vegetation Veg. height (cm) Water depth (cm)
Phragmites australis 300 105
Salix atrocinerea 310 92
Salix atrocinerea 350 –
Salix atrocinerea 350 –
327.5 ± 26.3 98.5 ± 9.2
compared to that recorded in Europe (February and
March) (Owen 1955; Milstein, Prestt, and Bell 1970;
Campos and Fernández-Cruz 1991), suggesting late arri-
val of breeding pairs. A ringing scheme is, thus, needed to
map up the dispersion and/or migration of breeding Grey
Herons in the region to resolve this pending issue.
Answering such questions is of conservation value as
conditions at both breeding sites and wintering grounds
may influence population dynamics (Den Held 1981;
Cavé 1983; Deerenberg and Hafner 1999; Fasola et al.
2010).
The Grey Heron occupies larger nests at greater
heights than the Purple Heron does in similar habitats.
External nest diameters were 85.0 ± 17.3 cm (N = 4) and
50.15 ± 7.21 cm (N = 190), and nest heights were 142.5
± 75.0 cm (N = 4) and 98.2 ± 36.55 cm for the Grey
Heron and Purple Heron, respectively. Data on mean egg
weight (57.0 g), length (60.9 mm) and breadth (42.2 mm)
agree well with means and ranges cited in literature
(Bauer and Glutz Von Blotzheim 1966): weight 60.8 g
(48.2–68.5 g), length 60.6 mm (55.4–68.4 mm) and
breadth 43.0 mm (39.4–46.4 mm). The recorded breeding
success, though based on a small sample, appears to be
high although the presence of unoccupied nests may
indicate breeding failure.
Previous studies of the growth rates of the Grey
Heron have shown that chicks at birth have a mass of
approximately 30 g and that they reach an asymptote of
around 1700 g prior to fledging (Marion 1979). Similar
asymptotes for tarsus and bill were 150 and 118 mm,
respectively. Heinroth (in Voisin 1991) recorded a maxi-
mum food intake of 330 g d−1 for chicks of 17 days of
age, which is a real challenge for adults provisioning
broods of three or four chicks. The chicks of the Grey
Heron, due to a larger size of the species, exhibit the
highest developmental rate among all colonial herons
and ibis breeding in the region (Table 3).
The successful breeding of the Grey Heron in north-
east Algeria begs the question why the species does not
breed more frequently in North Africa. Results indicate
that competition with the Purple Heron, suggested as a
possible factor (Fasola and Alieri 1992; Thomas and
Hafner 2000), may not fully answer the question. Both
Grey Heron and Purple Heron favour the same micro-
habitats as nesting sites in Numidia and they were found
to coexist with each other and with other species of her-
3 ons. Both species are known to occupy a wide range of
3 habitats from tall trees to reedbeds (van der Kooij 1991;
3 Voisin 1991; Nedjah et al. 2010), and the habitats, in no
 Zoology and Ecology 5

Table 3. Comparative growth rates of heron and ibis chicks in

North-East Algeria (Samraoui, Menaï, and Samraoui 2007;
Boucheker et al. 2009; Nedjah et al. 2010; Samraoui, Nedjah
et al. 2012).

Mass Head and

Age gain Tarsus bill
Species (days) (g d−1) (mm d−1) (mm d−1) N
Ixobrychus 5–12 10.20 2.90 4.10 13
minutus
Ardea ibis 1–23 14.53 2.69 1.93 26
Plegadis 4–15 29.91 4.45 NA 37
falcinellus
Ardea 4–20 34.10 3.77 4.47 71
purpurea
Ardea cinerea 1–27 49.60 4.80 5.20 3

short supply, occupied by both species in Numidia (reed-

beds and bushes) are well within this range. Both species
Downloaded by [Professor Boudjema Samraoui] at 09:04 11 July 2014

are mainly piscivorous, but Purple Herons mainly hunt

Figure 4. Growth of mean body mass (top), mean total tarsus
(middle), and mean head and bill (bottom) of three chicks from
a single brood during early development.
in freshwater wetlands with dense vegetation (Fasola
1986). This latter species also has a broader diet
(Barbraud et al. 2001; Montesinos, Santoul, and Green
2008). In contrast, Grey Herons forage in wetlands with
a wide range of salinity with a preference for open water
bodies (Voisin 1991). They take a great variety of prey
but rely heavily on fish: eels Anguilla anguilla, carps
Cyprinus carpio, barbells Barbus spp., etc. (Owen 1955;
Moser 1986). Grey Herons may also be opportunistic,
taking full advantage of introduced prey (Peris, Briz, and
Campos 1994; Adams and Mitchell 1995; Jakubas
2004). In Numidia, carps which have been introduced in
the past two decades have spread across many wetlands
only in recent years, and eels, as elsewhere, are in sharp
decline. A rather poor ichthyofauna, early drought and
fast emerging vegetation combine to make local wetlands
less attractive for breeding Grey Herons. In contrast, the
region hosts a rich and diverse insect fauna (Riservato
et al. 2009; Annani, Alfarhan, and Samraoui 2012) and
herpetofauna (Samraoui, Samraoui et al. 2012), which
may favour species with a broad diet (Nedjah et al.
2010; Samraoui, Nedjah et al. 2012). Thus, contrasting
abundance and prey availability at a critical stage of the
life cycle of each species (Van Vessem and Draulans
1986) may explain the divergent population dynamics
between the Purple Heron and the Grey Heron in North
Africa and southern Europe.
Local habitats are far from secure with many over-
hanging anthropogenic pressures threatening the sustain-
ability of heron colonies in Algeria. Unfortunately,
illegal shooting of herons and egg and chick harvesting
within protected and unprotected areas continue unabated
(Samraoui, Menaï, and Samraoui 2007). However, loss
of habitats and hydrological changes affecting wetlands
harbouring heron colonies are considered the major
threat in the area (Samraoui, de Belair, and Benyacoub
1992). Local conservation efforts have gained ground in
recent decades but are still insufficient to provide sanctu-
aries to breeding water birds.
 6 R. Nedjah et al.
Acknowledgements
We are most grateful to two anonymous referees for helpful
comments. This work was supported by the Algerian Ministère
de l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche Scientifique
(DGRSDT/M.E.S.R.S.) and Distinguished Scientist Fellowship
Program, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia.
References
Adams, C. E., and J. Mitchell. 1995. “The Response of a Grey
Heron Ardea cinerea Breeding Colony to Rapid Change in
Prey Species.” Bird Study 42: 44–49.
Annani, F., A. H. Alfarhan, and B. Samraoui. 2012. “Aquatic
Hemiptera of Northeastern Algeria: Distribution, Phenology
and Conservation.” Revue d’Écology (Terre & Vie) 67:
423–435.
Barbraud, C., M. Lepley, V. Lemoine, and H. Hafner. 2001.
“Recent Changes in the Diet and Breeding Parameters of
the Purple Heron Ardea purpurea in Southern France.”
Bird Study 48: 308–316.
Downloaded by [Professor Boudjema Samraoui] at 09:04 11 July 2014
Bauer, K. M., and U. N. Glutz Von Blotzheim. 1966. Hand-
buch der Vogel Mitteleuropas [Handbook of the Birds of
Central Europe. Volume 1]. Band 1. Frankfurt am Main:
Akademissche Verlagsgesellschaft.
Blondel, J. 1965. “Le Héron cendré Ardea cinerea L. nicheur
en Camargue [Grey Heron Ardea cinerea L. nesting in the
Camargue].” L’Oiseau et R.F.O. 35: 59–60.
Boucheker, A., R. Nedjah, F. Samraoui, R. Menaï, and B.
Samraoui. 2009. “Aspects of the Breeding Ecology and
Conservation of the Glossy Ibis in Algeria.” Waterbirds 32:
345–351.
Campos, F., and M. Fernández-Cruz. 1991. “The Breeding
Biology of the Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) in the Duero
River Basin in Spain.” Colonial Waterbirds 14: 57–60.
Campos, F., and M. Fernández-Cruz. 2006. “La Garza Real en
España. I. Población reproductora (1950–2000) [Grey
Heron in Spain. Breeding population (1950–2000)].” Serie
Zoologica: Publicaciones de Biologia de la Universidad de
Navarra 30: 1–118.
Cavé, A. J. 1983. “Purple Heron Survival and Drought in Trop-
ical West-Africa.” Ardea 71: 217–224.
Cramp, S., and K. E. L. Simmons. 1977. The Birds of the Wes-
tern Palearctic. Vol. 1. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Deerenberg, C., and H. Hafner. 1999. “Fluctuation in Popula-
tion Size and Colony Dynamics in the Purple Heron Ardea
purpurea in Mediterranean France.” Ardea 87: 217–226.
Den Held, J. J. 1981. “Population Changes in the Purple Heron
in Relation to Drought in the Wintering Area.” Ardea 69:
185–191.
El Hamoumi, R., and A. Qninba. 2008. “Nidification du Héron
cendré Ardea cinerea Linnaeus, 1758 (Ciconiiformes, Ar-
deidae) à Mohammedia (côteatlantique marocaine) en 2007
et 2008 [Nesting Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Linnaeus,
1758 (Ciconiiformes, Ardeidae) at Mohammedia (Moroccan
Atlantic coast) in 2007 and 2008].” Bulletin de l’ Institut
Scientifique, Rabat, section Sciences de la Vie 30: 51–52.
Fasola, M. 1986. “Resource Use of Foraging Herons in Agri-
cultural and Nonagricultural Habitats in Italy.” Colonial
Waterbirds 9: 139–148.
Fasola, M., and R. Alieri. 1992. “Nest Site Characteristics in
Relation to Body Size in Herons in Italy.” Colonial Water-
birds 15: 185–191.
Fasola, M., D. Rubolini, E. Merli, E. Boncompagni, and
U. Bressan. 2010. “Long-term Trends of Heron and Egret
Populations in Italy, and the Effects of Climate, Human-
induced Mortality, and Habitat on Population Dynamics.”
Population Ecology 52: 59–72.
Hafner, H., A. R. Johnson, and J. G. Walmsley. 1984. “Compte
rendu ornithologique Camarguais pour les années 1982 et
1983 [Ornithological report from the Camargue for the
years 1982 and 1983].” Revue d’Écologie (Terre & Vie) 40:
87–112.
Heim de Balsac, H., and N. Mayaud. 1962. Les Oiseaux du
Nord-Ouest de l’Afrique [The Birds of North-West Africa].
Paris: Paul Lechevalier.
Hoyt, D. F. 1979. “Practical Methods of Estimating Volumen
of Bird Eggs.” Auk 96: 73–77.
Isenmann, P., T. Gaultier, A. El Hili, H. Azafzaf, H. Dlensi,
and M. Smart. 2005. Birds of Tunisia. Paris: SEOF.
Isenmann, P., and A. Moali. 2000. Birds of Algeria. Paris:
SEOF.
Jakubas, D. 2004. “The Response of the Grey Heron to a
Rapid Increase of the Round Goby.” Waterbirds 27: 304–
307.
Kayser, Y., J. Walmsley, O. Pineau, and H. Hafner. 1994.
“Evolution récente des effectifs de Hérons cendrés (Ardea
cinerea) et de Hérons pourprés (Ardea purpurea) nicheurs
sur le littoral méditerranéen français [Recent Development
in the Number of Grey Herons (Ardea cinerea) and Purple
Herons (Ardea purpurea) Breeding on the French Mediter-
ranean Coast].” Nos Oiseaux 42: 341–355.
van der Kooij, H. 1991. “Nest habitat van de Purperreiger
Ardea purpurea in Nederland [Nesting habitat of the Purple
Heron Ardea purpurea in the Netherlands].” Limosa 64:
103–112.
Kushlan, J. A., and J. A. Hancock. 2005. The Herons. Oxford:
Oxford University Press.
Ledant, J. P., J. P. Jacobs, P. Jacobs, F. Malher, B. Ochando,
and J. Roché. 1981. “Mise à jour de l’avifaune algérienne
[Update of the Avifauna of Algeria].” Gerfault 71: 295–
398.
Lekuona, J. M., and F. Campos. 1995. “Le succès de reproduc-
tion du Héron cendré Ardea cinerea dans le Bassin d’Arca-
chon [Breeding Success of the Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
in the Arcachon Basin].” Alauda 63: 179–183.
Marion, L. 1979. “La croissance corporelle du Héron cendré
Ardea cinerea L. en Bretagne. Approche de sa signification
écologique [Body Growth of Grey Heron Ardea cinerea in
Britain. Approach to its Ecological Significance].” L’Oiseau
et R.F.O. 49: 1–30.
Marion, L. 1997. “Evolution des effectifs nicheurs et de la
répartition des hérons coloniaux en France entre 1974 et
1994 [Evolution of Breeding and Distribution of Colonial
Herons in France between 1974 and 1994].” Alauda 65:
86–88.
Milstein, P. S., I. Prestt, and A. A. Bell. 1970. “The Breeding
Cycle of Grey Heron.” Ardea 58: 171–257.
Montesinos, A., F. Santoul, and A. J. Green. 2008. “The Diet
of the Night Heron and Purple Heron in the Guadalquivir
Marshes.” Ardeola 55: 161–167.
Moser, M. E. 1986. “Breeding Strategies of Purple Herons in
the Camargue, France.” Ardea 74: 91–100.
Nedjah, R., A. Boucheker, F. Samraoui, R. Menai, A. H.
Alfarhan, K. A. S. Al-Rasheid, and B. Samraoui.
2010. “Breeding Ecology of the Purple Heron Ardea
purpurea in Numidia, North-Eastern Algeria.” Ostrich 81:
189–196.
Owen, D. F. 1955. “The Food of the Heron Ardea cinerea in
the Breeding Season.” Ibis 97: 276–295.
Peris, S. J., F. J. Briz, and F. Campos. 1994. “Recent Changes
in the Food of the Grey Heron Ardea cinerea in Central-
West Spain.” Ibis 136: 488–496.
R Development Core Team. 2009. R: A Language and Envi-
ronment for Statistical Computing. Vienna.

Riservato, E., J. P. Boudot, S. Ferreira, M. Jović, V. J.
Kalkman, W. Schneider, B. Samraoui, and A. Cuttelod.
2009. The Status and Distribution of Dragonflies of the
Mediterranean Basin. Gland: IUCN.
Samraoui, F., A. H. Alfarhan, K. A. S. Al-Rasheid, and
B. Samraoui. 2011. “An Appraisal of the Status and
Distribution of Waterbirds of Algeria: Indicators of Global
Changes?” Ardeola 58: 137–163.
Samraoui, B., G. de Belair, and S. Benyacoub. 1992. “A
Much-threatened Lake: Lac des Oiseaux in Northeastern
Algeria.” Environmental Conservation 19: 264–267 + 276.
Samraoui, F., R. Menaï, and B. Samraoui. 2007. “Reproductive
Ecology of the Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) at Sidi Achour,
North-Eastern Algeria.” Ostrich 78: 481–487.
Samraoui, F., R. Nedjah, A. Boucheker, A. H. Alfarhan, and B.
Samraoui. 2012. “Patterns of Resource Partitioning by
Nesting Herons and Ibis: How are Odonata Exploited?”
Comptes Rendus Biologies 335: 310–317.
Samraoui, B., and F. Samraoui. 2008. “An Ornithological
Survey of the Wetlands of Algeria: Important Bird Areas,
Ramsar Sites and Threatened Species.” Wildfowl 58:
Downloaded by [Professor Boudjema Samraoui] at 09:04 11 July 2014
71–98.
View publication stats
Zoology and Ecology 7
Samraoui, B., F. Samraoui, N. Benslimane, A. H. Alfarhan,
and K. A. S. Al-Rasheid. 2012. “A Precipitous Decline of
the Algerian Newt Pleurodeles poireti Gervais, 1835 and
Other Changes in the Status of Amphibians of Numidia,
North-Eastern Algeria.” Revue d’Écologie (Terre & Vie) 67:
71–81.
Schmid, H., B. Volet, and M. Thoma. 2004. “Situation actuelle
du Héron cendré Ardea cinerea en Suisse et évolution des
effectifs depuis 1980 [Current Status of Grey Heron Ardea
cinerea in Switzerland and Changes in Abundance Since
1980].” Nos Oiseaux 51: 85–93.
Thévenot, M., R. Vernon, and P. Bergier. 2003. The Birds of
Morocco. Tring: British Ornithologist’s Union.
Thomas, F., and H. Hafner. 2000. “Breeding Habitat Expansion
in the Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea).” Acta Oecologica
21 (2): 91–95.
Van Vessem, J., and D. Draulans. 1986. “Factors Affecting the
Length of the Breeding Cycle and the Frequency of Nest
Attendance by Grey Herons Ardea cinerea.” Bird Study 33:
98–104.
Voisin, C. 1991. The Herons of Europe. London: T & A. D.
Poyser.