What to Know About Black-headed Heron in Uganda?

The black-headed heron (Ardea melanocephala) is a wading large bird of the heron family Ardeidae, Kingdom-Animalia, phylum-Chordata, class-Aves, order-pelecaniformes and genus-Ardea.

Common in most sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. The black-headed stands 85 cm tall, 710-1650g weight and has a 150cm wingspan. In Uganda, this bird is common in Murchison falls national park.

How Does a Black-headed Heron in Uganda Look Like?

The black-headed heron is nearly similar as the grey heron in size, which it looks a lot like in appearance, although it is generally darker.

Its plumage is mainly grey above, and paler grey below. It has a darkish bill. It flies slowly, with the neck retracted.

This is distinctive of herons and bitterns, and differentiates them from storks, cranes, and spoonbills, which extend their necks.

The white underwing coverts are striking in flight. The legs and feet are black, male and female are similar.

How Does a Black-headed Heron in Uganda Sing and Make Calls?

The Black-headed Heron’s make louder calls “aaaaak” and squawking and nasal calls. When it is landing, it gives various calls “kow, owk, errr, kut, kut, kut”.

During its forward display, a black-headed heron gives a harsh “kaak” while soft “how-oo” is produced during the stretch display. They use cackles, croaks and bill-clapping to communicate.

How Does a Black-headed Heron in Uganda Behave, Feed and Breed?

The Black-headed Heron frequently quests lonely by moving slowly on the grassland. It walks by lifting its feet high, while the erected head and neck stretched towards the back.

Once the prey is identified, it powers the head side by side with high speed, and attacks the prey with its bill. But like many other Ardeidae, a black-headed heron also feeds by standing still and waiting for preys.

It often feeds at night. It feeds on a range of invertebrates and small vertebrates, largely terrestrial preys but also some aquatic ones.

It feeds on rodents, insects, earthworms, lizards, snakes, frogs, birds, fish, crustaceans and spiders. They rarely feed in groups. However, when at rest, they gather in colonies, tens to hundreds of birds.

During breeding, the Black-headed Heron guards its area by makes “kaak” calls whilst performing a Forward Display towards the trespasser.

It also performs dating displays. In the Stretch Display, the black-headed heron points its bill up while exposing its white chin and throat.

It voices the “how-oo” call and gives a soft gurgling. the heron can also be seen with raised crest and bungled neck.

The bills snap each other, while the bird runs its bill up and down the back and sides of its mate. Louds sounds from the pair-bond are part of the greeting ceremony that follows every action at nest while waiting for incubation to begin.

Copulation takes place at the nest-site, on the partly built nest. They are committed to one another and generally breed in groups, often mixed-species heronries.

The Black-headed Heron breeds largely in the rainy season, but also year-round depending on the area, often in mixed groups of 200 nests or more, and occasionally over 30 nests can be built in the same tree. They frequently nest high in trees, and less seldom in reedbeds or on the ground.

How Does the Black-headed Heron in Uganda Nest?

The weak nest is made with twigs, but fresh twigs with green leaves are added at the beginning of the nesting period.

Usually, the male collects the nest-material, and both adults build the nest in about two weeks. It is positioned between 8- 30meters above the ground.

How Does the Black-headed Heron in Uganda Reproduce?

They usually produce a single brood, and only occasionally two or three. Female lays between 2-3 pale blue eggs, both the male and female incubate between 23-27 days.

At hatching, the chicks have pale grey down and yellow eyes. Both feed the chicks at nest by regurgitation. fledging is between 40-50 days, but they return to the nest for feeding.

Juveniles become independent around 60 days after hatching. The young are often targeted by birds of prey.