Ardeola ralloides
A shy inhabitant of the densely grown verges of freshwater habitats, the Squacco Heron feeds on a variety of small vertebrate and invertebrate aquatic animals. Squacco Herons’ movements are often dictated by the rains, following recent showers to suitable habitat. Adults weigh around 300g and measure approximately 43cm tip-to-tip.
Though they mostly forage singly, Squacco Herons form monogamous pairs when breeding and build their stick-platform nests in mixed colonies together with other Squacco Herons and other waterbirds in reedbeds or trees growing in and over the water. Their breeding season spans almost the whole year, peaking in spring and summer. The parents take turns to incubate the clutch of 2-4 eggs over a 3-4 week period. The chicks are cared for by both parents and, while they leave the nest when they’re about 5 weeks old, they won’t start to fly for another 3 weeks more thereafter.
The Squacco Heron is listed as being of least concern, with a stable population estimated at as many as 780,000 occuring over most of the African continent, southern Europe and western Asia. The species is patchily distributed in South Africa, with the biggest concentrations occurring in Gauteng and adjacent portions of neighbouring provinces, the Lowveld and coastal Kwazulu-Natal.
DeWetsWild 
Lovely shots of this intriguing heron. I loved seeing them particularly on a trip to the Okavango – they are surprising white when in flight.
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Indeed, that white flight will easily confuse most observers into a miss-identification!
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Dis ‘n interessante een die, Dries! Het dit nog nie gesien nie!
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Dis regtig ongewoon om hulle in jul deel van die wereld raak te loop, Aletta. Maar as jy eendag jouself in Gauteng bevind moet jy hulle by Marievale (naby Springs) gaan opsoek.
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Ek het so gedink! Dankie Dries.
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Interesting name! I wonder what it means.
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Apparently they’re called Sguacco in Italian, and that’s been amended to Squacco in English.
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Thanks!
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We learned together!
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Really pretty head feathers.
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A showy hat for a beautifully dressed bird!
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I am always delighted to come across a Squacco Heron. The name is an interesting one too,
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They’re a rare treat for sure, Anne. Apparently the “Squacco” in the name is an anglicised version of their Italian name.
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The name is a reference to squawk = the sound it makes. I enjoy finding out about the etymology of words!
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Interesting bird, I read that comes from Europe and it’s also found in the Middle East. Good looking bird. Thanks, D. 🙂
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They’re quite shy for something so beautiful.
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