The purple heron is a wide-ranging species of wading bird in the heron family, Ardeidae. The scientific name comes from Latin ardea "heron", and purpureus, "coloured purple". It breeds in Africa, central and southern Europe, and southern and eastern Asia(source : Wikipedia).
Took a picture of one that i saw in our local park here. An adult bird is distinguished by its black crown, black nape-plumes, rufous-chestnut neck with bold black lines down head-sides and neck, dark chestnut-maroon belly/flanks/vent/underwing-coverts, greyish upperparts and mostly yellowish-orange bill/legs/feet.