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Squacco Heron
Herons & Egrets · Long-distance Migrant

Squacco Heron

Crab Heron · Ardeola ralloides

Least Concern40–49 cm · 225–370 g

By the Birdfact teamChecked byNathan Cope

This small, cream-coloured heron transforms from a seemingly plain bird to a striking hunter with buff-gold plumes when breeding season arrives.
On this page11 sections
  1. How to recognise it
  2. Its size
  3. Its song and calls
  4. When and where to see it
  5. What it eats
  6. Nesting and breeding
  7. Behaviour
  8. Conservation
  9. More photos
  10. Quick facts
  11. Sources

How to recognise it

The Squacco Heron is a small, stocky heron with distinctive buff-brown plumage and white wings. Its back and crown are streaked with dark brown, while the neck and chest display fine brown striations. The bird has a robust blue-green bill and greenish-yellow legs.

During the breeding season, adults develop long, white plumes on their heads and back. Juveniles are similar to non-breeding adults but have darker streaking and lack the ornate plumes.

Its size

Adults
Length
40–49 cm
Wingspan
76–84 cm
Weight
225–370 g

Its song and calls

The Squacco Heron is generally quiet, but it does vocalise during breeding season and when alarmed. Its most common call is a harsh, guttural 'krraaak' or 'karrr'.

During courtship, males may produce a series of soft, croaking sounds to attract females.

When and where to see it

UK and Ireland

OctoberLeaving

Arriving in 1 placeLast month in 1 place

Most recorded in October

  1. 1. Somersetunder 0.1%

Each dot is a county, state or province: the bigger and darker, the larger the bird’s share of that place’s bird records that month. Grey dots: no regular records. The ringed point is the centre of the bird’s records this month; the arrow shows how it moved since last month, and the dashed loop its path through the year. “Arrivals” colours places where it becomes regular this month (orange) or is in its last regular month (grey). GBIF eBird Observation Dataset, 2019–2024. Map data: Natural Earth, US Census Bureau; place centres © OpenStreetMap contributors.

In your area

See when the Squacco Heron is recorded in your county, state or province.

or

How often the Squacco Heron turns up in the UK and Ireland through the year, from birdwatchers' records.

United Kingdom

Passage migrant · regularly May–Aug · most records in August

Ireland

Scarce · regularly May · most records in May

Regularly recordedOccasionalBar height: share of all bird records that month
Show as a table
MonthUnited KingdomIreland
January––
February––
March––
April<0.001%–
May0.001% (regular)0.005% (regular)
June<0.001%<0.001%
July0.002%–
August0.003% (regular)–
September<0.001%–
October<0.001%–
November<0.001%–
December––

Recorded regularly in

Worldwide: recorded regularly in 91 countries

Countries where it was recorded in at least 3 of the 6 years 2019–2024. Linked countries have their own bird list.

Europe (30)
Africa (42)
Asia (18)
South America (1)

Data: EOD – eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), accessed via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0. Records from 2019–2024, aggregated and filtered by Birdfact. How these lists are made

Download citations (7)

Tips for seeing it

  • Look for Squacco Herons in shallow freshwater or brackish wetlands
  • Observe early morning or late afternoon when they are most active
  • Listen for their distinctive, harsh 'krraaak' call
  • Watch for their habit of freezing in place when alarmed

What it eats

Squacco Herons primarily feed on small fish, amphibians, and aquatic insects. They also consume crustaceans, molluscs, and occasionally small mammals or reptiles.

These herons often hunt by standing still or slowly stalking through shallow water, quickly striking at prey with their sharp bill.

Nesting and breeding

Squacco Herons typically breed in loose colonies, often with other heron species. Pair formation occurs at the breeding grounds, with males performing elaborate courtship displays to attract females.

Nests are platform structures made of sticks and reeds, usually built in trees or dense reedbeds close to water. Females lay 4-6 pale blue eggs per clutch.

Both parents share incubation duties for about 22-24 days. The chicks fledge after 30-35 days but may return to the nest for several more weeks to be fed by their parents.

Behaviour

Squacco Herons are often solitary foragers, stalking prey with slow, deliberate movements in shallow water. They frequently adopt a hunched posture with their neck retracted.

When disturbed, these herons may freeze in place, stretching their neck upwards to blend in with the surrounding vegetation.

Conservation

While currently listed as Least Concern, Squacco Herons face threats from habitat loss and degradation of wetlands.

Conservation efforts focus on protecting and restoring wetland habitats across their range, particularly in their breeding and wintering grounds.

More photos

5 photos

Quick facts

Length
40–49 cm
Wingspan
76–84 cm
Weight
225–370 g
Lifespan
5–11 years
Family
Herons & Egrets
Migration
Long-distance Migrant
Global status (IUCN)
Least Concern
World population
370,000 - 780,000 mature individuals
Population trend
Stable
Also called
Crab Heron
Scientific name
Ardeola ralloides

Sources

3
  1. 1BirdLife International. 2018. Ardeola ralloides. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T22697123A131940696. Source (opens in a new tab)
  2. 2BirdLife International. 2018. Ardeola ralloides. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T22697123A131940696. Source (opens in a new tab)
  3. 3Wetlands International (2015)
Spotted a mistake?Tell usHow we write and checkBy the Birdfact team · Updated

Checked by

Nathan Cope, founder and editor

Nathan founded Birdfact and leads its writers and contributors in the UK, the US and Canada. He has watched and studied birds for more than ten years, and checks every article and species guide before it’s published.

How we write and checkAbout Nathan