Malagasy Pond Heron
Ardeola idae
The Malagasy Pond Heron (Ardeola idae) is a rare herons, egrets, and bittern found in 12 countries, weighing about 266 g. The Malagasy pond heron, also known as the Madagascar pond heron or Madagascar squacco heron, is a species of heron of the family Ardeidae.
About the Malagasy Pond Heron
The Malagasy pond heron, also known as the Madagascar pond heron or Madagascar squacco heron, is a species of heron of the family Ardeidae. They breed in Madagascar, Réunion and the Seychelles, and spend the non-breeding season in eastern mainland Africa. As of 2021, the population is estimated to number between 1,000 – 2,500 adults and the species is considered endangered.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Malagasy pond herons grow to 45–50 cm (18–20 in) in height and anywhere from 250–350 g (9–12 oz) in weight. There is not a large variation in weight between the sexes as they are quite similar in bone body structure. feather, eye, and bill colour are determined by life stage (chick, juvenile, and adult) and reproductive status. The adults appearance can be split into the non-breeding plumage and the breeding stage. When the species is not breeding, the crown and the posterior are a colour mixture of buff and black with brown prominent over the other parts of the body. Voice: As they often hide in trees and shrubs at the sight of a human disturbance, distinguishing calls between species is often difficult. The Malagasy pond heron possesses two calls: a flight call and a burr call. The flight call has a duration of 0.5 s and is used at 5 second intervals as a means to keep distances between other birds in flight.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Malawi.
When to see it
Best months: June, July, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in October. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Malagasy Pond Heron?
- Malagasy pond herons grow to 45–50 cm (18–20 in) in height and anywhere from 250–350 g (9–12 oz) in weight. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Malagasy Pond Heron?
- The Malagasy Pond Heron is a medium sized bird weighing about 266 g.
- Where can you see a Malagasy Pond Heron?
- The Malagasy Pond Heron occurs in 12 countries, including Madagascar, Kenya, Tanzania, Mayotte and South Africa.
- What birds look similar to a Malagasy Pond Heron?
- The Malagasy Pond Heron is most easily confused with the Rufous-bellied Heron, the Javan Pond Heron and the Chinese Pond Heron.
- Is the Malagasy Pond Heron endangered?
- The Malagasy Pond Heron is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Malagasy Pond Heron for real
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