Squacco heron  (Ardeola ralloides)

Classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List (1).

Named after its piercing ‘squawk’ call (2), the squacco heron is a small, chunky bird with a short, thick bill, warm buff-brown back and snowy white wings, breast, tail and belly. The long, almost hair-like feathers on the back cover the tail, and there are tufts of long white and black feathers on the head that sometimes stick straight up in the air (4). Juveniles have browner plumage on the head and back and have dark streaks on the throat and chest (5). The squacco heron’s highly-recognisable call is often given at night, especially during breeding (2).

The squacco heron occurs in Europe, Africa (including Madagascar) and the Middle East, as far east as Iran (2), breeding in the northern parts of its range and migrating to southern regions to spend the winter (2) (6).

The squacco heron is a terrestrial bird that inhabits lakes, river valleys, swamps and other permanent or temporary freshwater wetlands. However, due to habitat alteration, rice paddy fields are becoming its main habitat (3). It prefers sites with abundant nearby vegetation, such as tamarisk, elm and ash trees, where it likes to build nests (7).

The squacco heron feeds mainly on larval insects, but can supplement its diet with small fish, amphibians, crustaceans, molluscs and, under exceptional circumstances, even small birds. It prefers to feed alone or in small groups of two to five individuals, although during periods of food scarcity, such as during migration and in winter, groups of up to 20 feeding individuals can form (3). The squacco heron is mainly active at sunrise and sunset, sleeping during the day and night in large sheltered groups (3).

The squacco heron breeds from April to July in Europe and northern Africa (3), either in a single-species colony or in groups of up to 2,000 pairs alongside other species such as little egrets, cattle egrets, black-crowned night herons and grey herons (7). It builds its nests two to twenty metres above the water level in a tree or in dense scrub vegetation, laying three to four eggs at a time (3).

Due to its large range, the squacco heron is not currently considered a threatened species (1). However, in Europe numbers are declining (6), due to the loss of natural and artificial wetland habitat. Also, in Nigeria the species is hunted for use in traditional medicine (3).

While there are no known conservation measures specifically focusing on the squacco heron currently in place, several organisations, suchas the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, are working to conserve wetland habitats around the world (8), which will benefit this species (2).

Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi is a principal sponsor of ARKive. EAD is working to protect and conserve the environment as well as promoting sustainable development in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

View information on this species at the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre.

To learn more about the conservation of wetlands see:

• Wetlands International:
  http://www.wetlands.org
• Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust:
  http://www.wwt.org.uk

For more information on this and other bird species please see:

• BirdLife International:
  http://www.birdlife.org