Photo: Vassilios Vescoukis / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Squacco Heron
Ardeola ralloides
Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) — Herons, Pelicans & Ibises of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 19 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) is a member of the Ardeidae family found in Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 287 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Pelecaniformes
- Family Ardeidae Herons, Bitterns
- Genus Ardeola
- Species ralloides
Quick facts
- Weight
- 287 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Ardeidae
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Squacco Heron hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Squacco Heron is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) belongs to the Ardeidae family of the order Pelecaniformes. It is found across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, AF widespread.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 287 g, with a wing length of about 21.3 cm and a tail of around 7.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 20.4 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Squacco Heron?
The Squacco Heron is a large bird that weighs around 287 g.
Where does the Squacco Heron live?
The Squacco Heron is found across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL, AF widespread, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Squacco Heron belong to?
The Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) belongs to the Ardeidae family, in the order Pelecaniformes.
What does the Squacco Heron eat?
The Squacco Heron hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Squacco Heron migrate?
The Squacco Heron is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Squacco Heron endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Squacco Heron make?
1 real field recording of the Squacco Heron — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Squacco Heron's range?
The Squacco Heron has a mapped global range of about 20.4 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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