Location: Na Hang Nature Reserve and Ba Be National Park

Year: 2024

Partners: PRCF Vietnam

This field project surveyed suitable riverine and forest habitats in the Ba Be and Na Hang–Lam Binh landscapes for the White-eared Night Heron, while also identifying potential nesting areas, local threats, and opportunities for community-based monitoring and protection.

This project outlines a community-based survey and conservation initiative for the White-eared Night Heron (Gorsachius magnificus), globally Endangered (EN) and Critically Endangered (CR) in Vietnam, across Ba Be National Park and Na Hang – Lam Binh Nature Reserve. Building on baseline surveys from 2010–2012, PRCF and Wildtour Vietnam aim to update species occurrence data, locate active nesting sites, and establish a community-led nest protection model. Key outcomes include updated ecological records, photographic verification, nest-monitoring protocols, and local protection groups to ensure long-term site stewardship.

To assess species presence and locate potential nesting sites, the team combined local ecological knowledge with standardized biological survey methods. The team first interviewed local forest rangers and buffer-zone residents to gather historical sighting records and pinpoint high-priority survey hotspots. Guided by these insights, the team executed day and night transects along key waterways, caves, and riverbanks; daytime observations targeted active nests, roosts, and foraging grounds, while nighttime spotlighting with handheld torches aimed to detect active or roosting nocturnal individuals.

Although the June 2025 survey yielded no direct sightings or active nests at either site, interviews with residents and forest rangers indicated potential seasonal occurrence during the winter months (October–March). While these initial results suggested the species was either seasonally absent or present at extremely low densities during summer, subsequent surveys in 2026 successfully confirmed the species' presence with records of individuals in the Ba Be area.

The White-eared Night Heron was recorded in April 2026 in the Ba Be area

Feeding ground of WENH in the Ba Be area

To strengthen the WENH conservation, priority actions include establishing long-term seasonal monitoring from October to March to align with local sighting reports and potential breeding periods. Concurrently, capacity-building workshops should be conducted for forest rangers and community members to resolve species misidentification with the Black-crowned Night Heron. Finally, establishing volunteer nest-protection groups in adjacent villages will foster community stewardship, bolster active monitoring, and reduce wildlife poaching risks.

White-eared Night Heron Conservation