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Difference between revisions of "Squacco Heron" - BirdForum Opus

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;Ardeola ralloides
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[[Image:Squacco_Heron.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo &copy; by {{user|A.+Meir|A. Meir}}<br />Eilat, [[Israel]], May 2005]]
[[Image:Squacco_Heron.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by A. Meir]]
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;[[: Category:Ardeola|Ardeola]] ralloides
==Description==
 
Photo taken: Eilat, Israel
 
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
Squacco Heron  
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[[Image:Squacco Heron juvenile DT.jpeg|thumb|350px|right|Juvenile<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|Donald+Talbott|Donald Talbott}}<br />Elounda, [[Crete]], [[Greece]], 12 May 2019]]
Ardeola ralloides
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42–47 cm (16½-18½ in)
RANGE  Breeding range very patchy across southern Europe from Iberia to the Balkans and Ukraine. Also in parts of Turkey, the Middle East, Morocco and Egypt and east to Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. In decline in many areas through the drainage of wetlands but the first breeding for Sardinia was recorded in 1985 and the Balearics in 1997. Has a wide but scattered distribution in sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Sudan and Somalia and south to the Cape. 
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*Short neck
  A summer visitor to most of Pealearctic breeding range, present April-September, but some may overwinter in North Africa. Most winter in sub-Saharan Africa and can be seen in all Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries during passage periods.
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*Thick dark bill, with greenish tip
  A vagrant throughout Europe north to Iceland and Finland, also recorded in the Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands and Cape Verde Islands. British records ( c.150), mainly in the south in spring but formerly more common and widespread.
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*Pale buff-brown back, with faint violet sheen
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*Greenish legs
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*'''Summer adults''' have elongated neck feathers. Bill black and blue; legs pink during courtship period<br />
  
HABITAT Freshwater swamps, ponds and ditches, often with very small areas of water, also larger waterbodies with dense vegetation, especially reedbeds with scattered willows.
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====Flight====
==Bird Song==
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The white wings are concealed when on the ground, the bird looking light brown, in flight it appears almost all white.
<flashmp3>Ardeola ralloides (song).mp3</flashmp3><br />
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==Distribution==
''[[Media:Ardeola ralloides (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
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Breeding range very patchy across southern [[Europe]] from [[Iberia]] to the [[Balkans]] and [[Ukraine]]. Also in parts of [[Turkey]], the [[Middle East]], [[Morocco]] and [[Egypt]] and east to [[Turkmenistan]] and [[Afghanistan]]. In decline in many areas through the drainage of wetlands but the first breeding for [[Sardinia]] was recorded in 1985 and the [[Balearics]] in 1997.
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Has a wide but scattered distribution in sub-Saharan [[Africa]] from [[Senegal]] to [[Sudan]] and [[Somalia]] and south to the [[Cape]].
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==Taxonomy==
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[[Image:Sqhrn21.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo &copy; by {{user|Kevin+Wade|Kevin Wade}}<br />Marbella, Spain, Río Verde, May 2019]]
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This is a [[Dictionary_M-O#M|monotypic]] species<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>.
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==Habitat==
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Freshwater swamps, ponds and ditches, often with very small areas of water, also larger waterbodies with dense vegetation, especially reedbeds with scattered willows.
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==Behaviour==
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====Breeding====
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They nest in small colonies, at shallow marshy lakes, ponds and rivers with reeds. The nest is usually on platforms of sticks in trees or bushes. Three or four eggs are laid.
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====Diet====
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The diet consists mostly of insect larva such as flies, mayflies and dragonflies with the addition of fish too.
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===Vocalisation===
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{{ Audio|Ardeola ralloides (song).mp3 }}
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==References==
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug18}}#Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved June 2016)
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#Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
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#Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6
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{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
{{GSearch|Ardeola+ralloides}}
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{{GSearch|"Ardeola ralloides" {{!}} "Squacco Heron"}}
[[Category:Birds]]
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<br />
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{{VSearch|"Ardeola ralloides" {{!}} "Squacco Heron"}}
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{{GS-checked}}1
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<br />
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<br />
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[[Category:Birds]][[Category:Ardeola]][[Category:Bird Songs]]  [[Category:Videos]]

Latest revision as of 15:51, 9 February 2023

Photo © by A. Meir
Eilat, Israel, May 2005
Ardeola ralloides

Identification

Juvenile
Photo © by Donald Talbott
Elounda, Crete, Greece, 12 May 2019

42–47 cm (16½-18½ in)

  • Short neck
  • Thick dark bill, with greenish tip
  • Pale buff-brown back, with faint violet sheen
  • Greenish legs
  • Summer adults have elongated neck feathers. Bill black and blue; legs pink during courtship period

Flight

The white wings are concealed when on the ground, the bird looking light brown, in flight it appears almost all white.

Distribution

Breeding range very patchy across southern Europe from Iberia to the Balkans and Ukraine. Also in parts of Turkey, the Middle East, Morocco and Egypt and east to Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. In decline in many areas through the drainage of wetlands but the first breeding for Sardinia was recorded in 1985 and the Balearics in 1997.

Has a wide but scattered distribution in sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Sudan and Somalia and south to the Cape.

Taxonomy

Photo © by Kevin Wade
Marbella, Spain, Río Verde, May 2019

This is a monotypic species[1].

Habitat

Freshwater swamps, ponds and ditches, often with very small areas of water, also larger waterbodies with dense vegetation, especially reedbeds with scattered willows.

Behaviour

Breeding

They nest in small colonies, at shallow marshy lakes, ponds and rivers with reeds. The nest is usually on platforms of sticks in trees or bushes. Three or four eggs are laid.

Diet

The diet consists mostly of insect larva such as flies, mayflies and dragonflies with the addition of fish too.

Vocalisation

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2018. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2018. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved June 2016)
  3. Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
  4. Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6

Recommended Citation

External Links


GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1

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