Squacco Heron

Overview

The squacco heron (Ardeola ralloides) is a small heron of Old World origins that breeds in southern Europe and the Greater Middle East. It is classified as a species of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Stocky body with a short neck, short thick bill, and buff-brown back.
• Adults display long neck feathers during the summer.
• Appears very white in flight due to the colour of its wings.

Habitat

The species breeds in marshy wetlands and freshwater localities in warm countries. It is a migrant that winters in Sub-Saharan Africa and is considered a vagrant in regions such as the Fernando de Noronha islands and mainland South America.

Diet

The squacco heron feeds on fish, frogs, and insects.

Did you know?

The common name 'squacco' derives from the local Italian word sguacco, as quoted by Francis Willughby in 1672.