Scientific name: Ardeola ralloides (Scopoli, 1769)
Bird group: Bitterns and Herons
Field characters. 44-47 cm. A compact thick-necked bird with fawn-coloured plumage and long feathers which extend as a mane from nape to back. In flight, pale buff and blackish streaked birds look predominantly white due to white wings, tail and rump. In winter, mantle browner and neck streaked blackish. When breeding, bill bright blue with black tip, legs flesh-red; outside breeding season, bill green-yellow with black tip and legs yellowish-green.
Voice. At dusk a harsh, high-pitched "karr".
Distribution. Breeds locally in small to moderately large colonies.
Habitat. Prefers stagnant fresh waters flanked by dense aquatic vegetation and woody shrubs in lowland valleys, lagoons, wetlands and deltas.
Food. Chiefly insects and larvae, amphibians and fish; usually feeds crepuscular.
Eggs. Unmarked, ground colour light green-blue. Texture often with fine lengthwise grooves, not glossy. Shape subelliptical/short subelliptical, pointed at both ends. Size 39 x 28 mm (35-42 x 27-32), weight 15-17 g.