What to Know About the Squacco Heron in Uganda?

The Squacco Heron in Uganda is one of the African birds in Uganda seen during Uganda Birding Tours. It is a relatively smaller bird of the heron species, kingdom-Animalia, phylum-Chordata, class-Aves, Order-Pelecaniformes, and family-Ardeidea.

Generally small with a length between 42-47cm, body mass between 230-370g and wingspan is from 80-92 cm. it’s a rare heron found in Uganda.

How Does the Squacco Heron in Uganda Look Like?

The Squacco heron is a stocky bird with a short neck, thick dark bill with yellow lower mandible and buff brown back, while the head, name and shoulders are black.

When flying, its white tail and wings can be visible but at rest, you can see buff and brown upperparts and white underparts. The Squacco heron has yellowish eyes with narrow red eye ring, its legs and feet are greenish yellow.

At flight, the whole bird appears white. The chin and throat are white while its crown and neck are cinnamon. In breeding period, the mature birds grow an erectile black and white crest together with bushy feathers.

How Does a Squacco Heron in Uganda Sing and Make Calls?

hen frightened, it gives a rapid squawking “kahk”, its normal song is soft, vibrant and grating “kok”, low pitched “kruuk” and speedy “kek-kek-kek”.

How Does a Squacco Heron in Uganda Feed?

The Squacco heron frequently feeds on small preys like insects, crustaceans and molluscs, fish and amphibians.

However, they seldom catch very small birds. Feeding is like for any other Ardeidae species, standing still and partly hidden in the swampy vegetation, only the head and neck remain visible.

They are often feed singly by day especially when food is rare and spaced out. When feed they bend horizontally.

How Does a Squacco Heron in Uganda Nest

Squacco herons nest in reed beds, trees around or over water, made up of sticks and twigs. They in most cases place their nest fairly low, not more than two meters and often nest at 5-10 meters apart.

Both adults built the nest and protect their nest site. The nest is often build after pair-bonding.

How Does a Squacco Heron in Uganda Breed?

Squacco herons can breed in either small or large colonies. During their courtship display season, both the male and female develop brighter colors on bare parts and longer crest and black feathers.

These nuptial feathers are important in their breeding and these bird’s courtship displays often occurs in or near their nest. Their breeding season is variable but often occurs in the rainy seasons.

How Does a Squacco Heron in Uganda Reproduce?

The female Squacco herons lay between 2-3 eggs, incubation takes between 22-24 days and it is done by both parents.

At hatching, the chicks are enclosed with grey, buff and white down. Their feeding is done by the parents.

After two weeks from hatching date, the chicks quit the nest and perch on tree branches around, fledging ends about 45days after hatching and thereafter, the chicks become independent.