Chirping with Kloof Conservancy – Black-headed Heron
Find out more about this feather Upper Highway resident below.
ONE tends to think of finding herons near water, so it is somewhat surprising that this species is not uncommon in our area as we do not have many wetlands in the Upper Highway area. The Black-headed Herons are very versatile and have adapted well to the presence of humans – even foraging in gardens- and are quite happy to help themselves to fish in small garden ponds.
Description
The Black-headed Heron is a large bird and stands at 92cm and weighs between 690 to 730g. Its wingspan can be up to 150cm. It is predominantly grey with a distinctive dark cap and dark nape. The bill and legs are also dark (often black) and the eyes are yellow and provides quite an attractive contrast. It can easily be confused with the Grey Heron, but a diagnostic feature of the Black-headed Heron is the distinctive black-and-white underwing pattern that is easily noted when in flight. The Gray Heron has uniformly grey underwings. Males and females are almost identical in appearance and not easily told apart.
ALSO READ: Chirping with Kloof Conservancy – The Western Barn Owl
Distribution
They can be found throughout southern Africa, but are not common in the dry areas of Namibia or the Northern Cape.
