Difference between revisions of "Malagasy Pond Heron" - BirdForum Opus

Latest revision as of 15:17, 21 January 2022

Photo © by James Kashangakii
Nairobi National Park, Kenya, September 2018

Alternative name: Madagascar Pond-Heron

Ardeola idae

Identification

Length 45-48 cm (17¾-19 in)
Breeding adult: Plumage all white, with long crest and scapular plumes. Blue bill and bare orbital skin, former with dark tip. Red legs.
Nonbreeding adult: Dark brown above; darker above than Squacco Heron, and with broader and darker streaking on the throat and breast.

Distribution

Africa: breeds in Madagascar, the Seychelles, and Europa Island in the Mozambique Channel.

Non-breeding range includes eastern Africa (Comoro Islands, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo).
Has occurred as a vagrant to South Africa.

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species^[1]..

Habitat

Freshwater wetlands.

Status

Classified as Endangered in the IUCN Red List (BirdLife International, 2007).

Behaviour

They are very rarely seen in flocks.

Diet

They feed on fish, insects and small invertebrates., frogs, toads, geckos, skinks, grasshoppers, beetles etc.

Gallery

Click on photo for larger image

References

Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2021. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2021. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
BirdLife International (2007)
Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved June 2017)
Birdforum member observations

List of references

Recommended Citation

BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Malagasy Pond Heron. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 7 June 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Malagasy_Pond_Heron

External Links

Search for photos of Malagasy Pond Heron in the gallery

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-;Ardeola idae
+[[Image:2018-09-15 09 37 32.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo &copy; by {{user|James+Kashangakii|James Kashangakii}} <br />Nairobi National Park, [[Kenya]], September 2018]]
-[[Image:Madagascar_Pond_Heron.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by balticbird]]
+'''Alternative name: Madagascar Pond-Heron'''
+;[[:Category:Ardeola|Ardeola]] idae
 ==Identification==
-Taken in Tana, Madagascar
+Length 45-48 cm (17¾-19 in)<br />
-Madagascar Pond Heron
+'''Breeding adult''': Plumage all white, with long crest and scapular plumes. Blue bill and bare orbital skin, former with dark tip. Red legs.<br />
-Ardeola idae
+'''Nonbreeding adult''': Dark brown above; darker above than [[Squacco Heron]], and with broader and darker streaking on the throat and breast.
--48 cm. Small white heron. Breeding plumage all white, with long crest and scapular plumes. Blue bill and bare orbital skin, former with dark tip. Reddish legs. In non-breeding plumage, dark brown on crown and streaked dark brownish on mantle and underparts. Similar spp. In breeding plumage, easily distinguished from other white herons by short reddish legs and blue bill. In non-breeding plumage, from Squacco Heron A. ralloides by dark crown and streaky upperparts. Hints Found singly or in small groups, often with A. ralloides or egrets. Nests colonially with other herons.
 ==Distribution==
-Ardeola idae breeds on [[Madagascar]] (2,000-6,000 individuals), Aldabra (100 breeding pairs) in the [[Seychelles]], and Europa (to Réunion, to France). It has a large non-breeding range in Central and East [[Africa]] including the [[Comoro Islands]], [[Mozambique]], [[Zimbabwe]], [[Zambia]], [[Malawi]], [[Tanzania]], [[Kenya]], [[Uganda]], [[Burundi]], [[Rwanda]] and [[Democratic Republic of Congo]]. It is present almost throughout Madagascar, but is always uncommon. It is rare in the south and probably commonest in suitable wetlands in the west. A decline has been reported over the last 50 years, most notably on the high plateau. Whilst it remains fairly widespread, populations are low, and increasing exploitation at breeding sites is likely to increase the rate of population decline.
+[[Africa]]: breeds in [[Madagascar]], the [[Seychelles]], and Europa Island in the Mozambique Channel.
+Non-breeding range includes eastern [[Africa]] ([[Comoro Islands]], [[Mozambique]], [[Zimbabwe]], [[Zambia]], [[Malawi]], [[Tanzania]], [[Kenya]], [[Uganda]], [[Burundi]], [[Rwanda]], [[Democratic Republic of Congo]]).<br />
+Has occurred as a vagrant to [[South Africa]].
 ==Taxonomy==
+This is a [[Dictionary_M-S#M|monotypic]] species<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>..
 ==Habitat==
-It principally inhabits freshwater wetlands, particularly shallow waterbodies fringed with vegetation and adjacent trees. Outside the breeding season, it is commonly found along the banks of small streams, including those inside forest. It is also found on rice paddies, and more rarely in mangroves and on the seashore.
+Freshwater wetlands.
+==Status==
+Classified as '''Endangered''' in the IUCN Red List ([http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html BirdLife International], 2007).
 ==Behaviour==
-It feeds on fish, insects and small invertebrates.
+They are very rarely seen in flocks.
+====Diet====
-Threats Exploitation of eggs and young is heavy at many breeding sites and appears to be increasing in intensity. The introduced fish Micropterus salmoides may compete for food.
+They feed on fish, insects and small invertebrates., frogs, toads, geckos, skinks, grasshoppers, beetles etc.
+==Gallery==
+Click on photo for larger image
+<gallery>
+Image:Madagascar_Pond_Heron.jpg|Photo &copy; by {{user|balticbird|balticbird}}<br/>Tana, [[Madagascar]]<!--EDITORS: this image does not appear in the Gallery, so retained on article-->
+</gallery>
+==References==
+#{{Ref-Clements6thAug21}}#BirdLife International (2007)
+#Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved June 2017)
+#Birdforum member observations
+{{ref}}
 ==External Links==
+{{GSearch|Ardeola+idae}}
+{{GS-checked}}<br /><br />
-[[Category:Birds]]
+[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Ardeola]]