Rufous-bellied Heron

Ardeola rufiventris

Wetlands. Very dark small heron; rich rufous below and on wings. Bill and legs normally yellow.

Bitterns, Egrets, Herons

Not Endemic

Description

Uncommon summer resident and visitor. A robust, all-dark heron; in good light the maroon wings and belly are diagnostic. Non-breeding adult has pale yellow bill (upper mandible grey), facial skin and legs. When breeding the bill, facial skin and legs become coral-pink. Immature has buff-edged feathers on its upper parts. Nomadic, solitary and secretive near secluded waters with ample fringing and surface vegetation. When flushed, perches in a tree or drops into dense vegetation.

Quick Facts

Bird Family

Water-associated birds with long bills and necks and long legs. When breeding, many species have long, filamentous plumes on their back or lower breast (or both), while others have more or less permanent long plumes on their napes. In flight, they tuck their heads into their shoulders, thus differing from storks, ibises and cranes. They seldom soar. Many herons are solitary in habit and secretive; others are gregarious and seen more frequently. Most perch in trees and nest in trees or reeds, or even on the ground. All have harsh, squawking voices heard mostly when flushed. Four comparative silhouettes represent (a): Dwarf Bittern; (b): Squacco Heron; (c): Little Egret; and (d): Grey Heron.