Squacco Heron
The Squacco Heron is named after its piercing “squawk’ call” and is a small, chunky heron 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. The Squacco Heron’s highly recognisable call is often given at night, especially during the breeding season.
The Squacco Heron inhabits wetlands such as lakes, river valleys, swamps and other permanent or temporary freshwater wetlands. However, due to habitat alteration or loss, rice paddy fields are becoming a principal habitat. It prefers sites with abundant nearby vegetation, such as tamarisk, elm and ash trees, where it likes to nest in small colonies often with other herons and egrets.
The Squacco Heron occurs in Europe (although rare in the north), Africa and the Middle East as far east as Iran, breeding in the northern parts of its range and migrating to southern regions to spend the winter.
Date: 19th May 2017
Location: Location: Hortobágy-Halastó, Hortobágy National Park, Hajdú-Bihar county, Hungary
The Squacco Heron inhabits wetlands such as lakes, river valleys, swamps and other permanent or temporary freshwater wetlands. However, due to habitat alteration or loss, rice paddy fields are becoming a principal habitat. It prefers sites with abundant nearby vegetation, such as tamarisk, elm and ash trees, where it likes to nest in small colonies often with other herons and egrets.
The Squacco Heron occurs in Europe (although rare in the north), Africa and the Middle East as far east as Iran, breeding in the northern parts of its range and migrating to southern regions to spend the winter.
Date: 19th May 2017
Location: Location: Hortobágy-Halastó, Hortobágy National Park, Hajdú-Bihar county, Hungary
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Also in: Hungary
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