White Herons of Bali

We have named these birds Cattle Egrets because they are often seen in fields following or on top,of cattle getting lunch. Here in Bali there is a special village, Petulu Gunug, where almost all of the White Herons of Bali come in the thousands to roost for the night.



This heron has missed the near by tree and landed on a bamboo street decoration created for holiday on Wenesday.



is a very poor village about 3 kilometers from Ubud at the end of the road in the hills. There is a wonderful cool breeze as we arrive in the village on motos with our host family.


The herons are in breeding plumage (the golden mantle) and are beginning to build nests in the roosting trees.


Here a heron forages with the local chickens.





It was in 1965 that the village was allowed to restore its local god with the Ida Bhetara Mesineb ceremony that the birds started to come to the,village trees.
In 1966 there was the vicious take over by Suharto when thousands if not millions of Indonesians were executed for being left of center. The villagers believe that the massive return of the White Herons represent the souls of those slaughtered in their villages. There is a Hollywood version of these events in the film "A Year of Living Dangerously."