 |
| Squacco Herons |
It can easily be mistaken for the more common Cattle
Egret (Bubulcus ibis), in breeding
plumage. For It is about the same size, with
white and brown plumage, but the similarities were no match for the keen eyes
of two visiting birders, Glyn and Helen Foley, who saw and identified the
newest addition to Barbados ever-growing avian checklist, Squacco
Heron (Ardeola ralloides). The bird was seen at the Graeme Hall
Mangrove Swamp, Christ Church on Friday, November 26, and then again on the
following day,
Squacco Herons (Ardeola ralloides) are small, old-world
herons about, 17.5 –1 8.5” (44–47 cm) long, and is common in South-West and Central Europe, East to
Aral Sea region and South-east Iran. It is also present in Africa in the region of the Sahara,
and in Madagascar' while breeding occurs in southern Europe and the Greater Middle East. This heron prefers freshwater habitats such as swamps and flooded areas, lakes, and ponds,
where there is a dense cover of marshy vegetation, making Graeme Hall an ideal
location.
A new species for the island is the perfect way to cap-off the Rare-bird Month. Let's hope it is not the last find for the year. Stay Safe and enjoy your birding.
This is an amazing find. Would this little bird have flown across the Atlantic under it's own steam?
ReplyDeleteYeah for sure, transatlantic migrates are fairly common on the island during the year
ReplyDelete