Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides)
Now this is one I did not know and had to ask help to ID it… never having seen one before, and then on top of this it is a Juvenile bird….
I’m led to believe it breeds in southern Europe and the Greater Middle East, and winters in South Africa. As I said this is a first for me but I considered it a good find.
It is a small heron, 44–47 centimetres (17–19 in) long, of which the body is 20–23 centimetres (7.9–9.1 in), with 80–92 centimetres (31–36 in) wingspan.
It is a stocky species with a short neck, short thick bill and buff-brown back. In summer, adults have long neck feathers. Its appearance is transformed in flight, when it looks very white due to the colour of the wings. The Squacco heron’s breeding habitat is marshy wetlands in warm countries.
The birds nest in small colonies, often with other wading birds, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. 3-4 eggs are laid. They feed on fish, frogs and insects. Wow now all of that I had to take out of books, so we learn together with this one….
Well done on spotting something new. It’s quite amazing how wildlife finds its way around the world, sometimes covering thousands of miles purely on instinct, and often returning to the same area or even nest.
Thanks Brian… yes this was a great find for me, to be able to add one more to my list is great… still got so many to capture though…
This is one of those birds that looks off balance–as if the butt end got too close to a trimmer and the face too close to a pencil sharpener. Forgive me. My mind works in mysterious ways sometimes… 😉
Now that is a description that should be in the bird books… would make an ID easy.. lol… maybe we should get together and do the bird book thing… I’ll do the photos and ID you do the description… could be a best seller…
That would be a very fun project! Lets get started. How many species are we talking about? WHAT!!!!!!???????
Well so far I have photos of 295 specie with many 100 s to go… still feel up to it..??
Let me take some vitamins and back to you…Yes, they are vitamins!
An cool looking Heron with a very exciting characteristics. A great adventure once again. Thanks. have a fun weekend.
Thank you…
Thank you, as always Bulldog, I learn so many new things about wildlife from your posts! Just beautiful, the photography!
Thanks Penny…
Your very welcome Bulldog, hope all is well with you and yours! xx
On the road again and with new developments coming through on the software .. more testing and long distance meetings… not finding much time for anything else…
I wish you well Rob … It’s an exciting time, remember to relax and take care of you too, best of luck my friend, you’ve earned it! xx
A two-for-one experience with you Bulldog…fascinating photos and an education to boot! 🙂
Thanks LuAnn…. I was so excited to see this…
Thank you for introducing us to this species 🙂 Nice photos, Bulldog!
Thanks Paula…
He’s a cutie! How fun for you to find a bird you hadn’t seen before! It must have been a very exciting realization! 🙂
It certainly was and I couldn’t get better captures than what I did… but I do still have so many in our land to see… so many birds to find and running out of time…
I love the coloring of this bird and the images you captured.
Thanks Gina…
Oh, do give me the grey heron post! Herons are my very favorite birds. This little guy is a heron by virtue of his feathers and bill, etc., but he is a shorty! How cute! I bet you wee startled to see him!
I will be posting on the other Herons soon…
I thought it was a baby… The photo’s are great! Pawkisses for a happy weekend 🙂
I thought so too… but then something said it was one of those I’ve never seen before…
Wonderful find. Its interesting that you find one bird that you don’t know the identity of. I can find one bird that I do know the identity of. 🙂 But I’m learning.
It is a life long lesson that I can assure you… just when you think you know a lot a few birds arrive to remind you you know little….
The distance birds migrate is always amazing to me! Good find!
You are so right… watched a doccie on one of the birds that visits the Antarctica in Summer, goes 8000 odd Km when the winter arrives…
Wow that’s amazing! Until 100 years ago, most humans could only dream of traveling that far in a life time!
Belle, molto belle!!
Ciao Pat
Thanks Patrizia…
Love it thanks
Thanks Kymee
The color is so beautiful in these!! Something “cute” about this Heron…ours are NOT cute.
Thanks Suzanne… a smaller bird when it comes to the Herons…
I keep an eye out for new species of animal in my areas of the world, and it is great to come across a new one I have never seen before.
It is one of those “mark the list” moments… only got about 450 to go now…
Wonderful eye catching and photographs….Thank you dear Rob, have a nice weekend, love, nia
Thanks Nia…
Good eyes …. and the build and markings seems like a youngster.
Thanks Frank… had no idea about this one when I saw it…
Lovely bird (and shots) but the names get worse and worse. Is it wacko and squawks or kwacks a lot?
You got me there Col… never seen this one before… know very little about it at the moment…
He may be small, but that beak sure looks dangerous! Have a good weekend, Bulldog 🙂
Thanks Michelle… you too… I’m in Kathu…
It’s always lovely to see and learn new things on your blog bulldog. Excellent photo’s as usual my friend. 😀 *hugs*
Thanks Sonel… this one we are all definitely learning about together…
He has quite a long neck and beak eh! Amazing colours though – quite odd but pretty cool all the same.
I was amazed when I saw this… never seen one before… course got 40 odd photos can only use 10 of them… too hasty in my excitement…
It is adorable. Love learning new stuff with you!! Thanks, Bulldog. Hope all is well with you!!
Thanks Skye… yep this one was new to me too…
Quite a ‘ghostly’ look, eh, Bulldog.
That it is… I thought I was seeing things… never seen one before… one more for my record book…
I have only seen a heron alive … once and that was on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia, Canada … was expecting the bird to be much taller/bigger, but this here looks smaller. We have the “grey heron” (Ardea cinerea)
but it becomes 55-175 cm and weight up to 1,4 kg – stunning bird. All in grey shades. Thanks for sharing.
I forgotten the a 1 – 155-175cm it should have been.
We have a lot of different Herons that visit us here… The Grey Heron being one of them… I have some great photos of the Grey… I must do a post on it sometime…