Rufous-bellied Heron
Ardeola rufiventris
The Rufous-bellied Heron (Ardeola rufiventris) is a rare herons, egrets, and bittern found in 13 countries, weighing about 266 g. The rufous-bellied heron is a species of heron in the genus Ardeola, the pond herons, of the family Ardeidae.
About the Rufous-bellied Heron
The rufous-bellied heron is a species of heron in the genus Ardeola, the pond herons, of the family Ardeidae. It is found in southern Africa.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
This is a small dark species of heron with a dark grey head, back and breast contrasting with a rufous belly, wings and tail. When seen in flight the bright yellow legs and feet contrast with the dark feathers of the underside of the body. Juveniles are paler and browner, darkening as they mature.
Where it lives
When to see it
The Rufous-bellied Heron can be seen all year round, with peak activity in November. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Rufous-bellied Heron?
- This is a small dark species of heron with a dark grey head, back and breast contrasting with a rufous belly, wings and tail. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Rufous-bellied Heron?
- The Rufous-bellied Heron is a medium sized bird weighing about 266 g.
- Where can you see a Rufous-bellied Heron?
- The Rufous-bellied Heron occurs in 13 countries, including Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Kenya and South Africa.
- What birds look similar to a Rufous-bellied Heron?
- The Rufous-bellied Heron is most easily confused with the Malagasy Pond Heron, the Javan Pond Heron and the Chinese Pond Heron.
- Is the Rufous-bellied Heron endangered?
- The Rufous-bellied Heron is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Rufous-bellied Heron for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
Play BeakBrainEvery photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.