Ecology of the Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) in Numidia N.E. Algeria

In a study of 8 successive years, on several wetlands in the region of Numidia, north-eastern Algeria, we followed the ecology of the purple heron (Ardea purpurea), a species considered to be a summer visitor, little known in Algeria. In this work we carried out the monitoring of the purple heron colonies from which we took the different reproduction parameters: height, density and type of vegetation used as support, size of nests, measurements of eggs, success of reproduction. and hatching, growth and survival of chicks. Analysis of regurgitas collected over four years in the Numidian region showed that this species has a very varied diet that has brought together several orders, between invertebrates and vertebrates.