Slaty Egret - Distribution and Population

Distribution and Population

South-central Africa. The largest populations are found in Zambia and Botswana. In Zambia there are maybe 500-1,000 individuals, mainly found at Liuwa Plain National Park, Kafue Flats and Lake Bangweulu in some years but there are no confirmed breeding records. In northern Botswana there is a population of probably over 2,000 birds, mainly in the vicinity of the Okavango Delta and Chobe River. In this area there are at least 10 known colonies. This population extends into northern Namibia where an estimated 300 birds can be found the Chobe floodplain and Caprivi Strip. There is a single confirmed report of unsuccessful nesting in the Nylsvley Nature Reserve in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. It is more nomadic when not breeding, and has been recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, and rarely in northern South Africa. In Mozambique its presence on the Zambezi Delta has not been confirmed and it may occur in Angola and possibly Malawi. Slaty Egrets are almost always found in small numbers, e.g. rarely more than c.100, the world population is probably in the order of 3,000-5,000 individuals.