Red-bellied heron

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Red-bellied heron
Rufous-bellied Heron (Ardeola rufiventris) .jpg

Red-bellied heron ( Ardeola rufiventris )

Systematics
Class : Birds (aves)
Order : Pelecaniformes
Family : Herons (Ardeidae)
Subfamily : Day heron (ardeinae)
Genre : Ardeola
Type : Red-bellied heron
Scientific name
Ardeola rufiventris
( Sundevall , 1851)

The red-bellied heron ( Ardeola rufiventris ) is a species from the heron family , which belongs to the genus of the pint-free heron . It is a medium gray heron with gray and maroon plumage. It occurs exclusively in Africa, where it is widespread but not common anywhere. It is regarded as a species that has so far not been adequately researched, because the habitat requirements, the specific eating habits and the breeding biology are only documented to a limited extent.

Appearance

The red-bellied heron reaches a body size of 38 to 39 centimeters. Unlike many other species of heron, this species has a sexual dimorphism . The females are slightly duller in their plumage color and the gray of their plumage is sooty or brown. The females have a creamy white color on their chin and front neck.

Both sexes have a blue-black head. The beak is predominantly yellow. The neck, throat and back are gray. The elytra are maroon with black wings. The rear back is dark brown-gray while the trunk and tail are maroon. The underside of the body is also maroon. Young birds are similar to females, but have yellow-brown stripes on the sides of the head, neck and front breast.

Can be confused with the bell heron . However, this one has black legs, while those of the red-bellied heron are yellow. The red-bellied heron , which also occurs in the area of ​​distribution, and the thick-billed heron can hardly be confused with the red-bellied heron because of their very different plumage - they mainly lack the dark gray upper side of the body.

Distribution area and habitat

The red-bellied heron is a species of African heron. Its distribution area is limited to Central and East Africa. It occurs in the southwest of Kenya, in the south of Uganda , in Rwanda , in the southeast of the Congo, in Zambia , north Namibia , in the southwest and northeast of Angola , in the north of Botswana , in Zimbabwe and in the Republic of South Africa . It is mostly a resident bird. Migration can occur when the large African plains are flooded in the rainy season. However, these seasonal migrations have not yet been adequately investigated. The stock is only partially known. In Tanzania there are around 3,000 to 5,000 red-bellied herons.

The red-bellied heron mainly uses the grassy plains along rivers that are flooded during the rainy season. It is often found in dense reed fields, papyrus swamps and on the edge of lakes and rivers. In Tanzania he seems to benefit from the increased planting of rice fields.

Way of life

The search for food takes place in the manner typical of herons by slowly pacing his foraging grounds. The food spectrum consists of worms, insects, crustaceans, frogs and fish.

The breeding season depends on the water level and is often in the rainy season. The red-bellied heron nests in the reed belt or in trees and shrubs. He is a colony breeder. Small groups of six to thirty breeding pairs are typical. In Zambia, however, individual colonies also have between sixty and eighty nests. It also often breeds with marabou and glutton . Its nests are then mostly on the edge of the colony. The nest measures only 25 to 35 centimeters in diameter and is 10 to 12 centimeters thick. The clutch usually consists of two to three eggs. The incubation begins when the first egg is deposited, but the incubation period is not yet known. The nestlings hatch asynchronously with a hatching interval of about two days. They can stand from the 7th day of their life and can fly at 24 days. They reach their full flight ability from about the 32nd day of life.

supporting documents

Single receipts

  1. ↑ Kuhlan et al., P. 249
  2. ↑ Kuhlan et al., P. 250
  3. ↑ Kuhlan et al., P. 251
  4. ↑ Kuhlan et al., P. 251

literature

  • James A. Kushlan & James A. Hancock: Herons . Oxford University Press, 2005, ISBN 0-19-854981-4

Web links

Commons : Ardeola rufiventris  - collection of images, videos and audio files