STANDING just below a metre in height, the blackheaded heron are common and widespread throughout southern Africa.
Their voice consists of various croaks, squawks, growls and gurgles.
They favour a habitat of open grassland, fallow fields, edges of inland waters and forest clearings.
While they’re usually found solitary when feeding, or standing solitary, waiting for prey or stalking, they roost colonially in trees, reedbeds and islands as far as 30km from their feeding grounds.
The blackheaded heron enjoys feeding on frogs, crabs, insects, rodents, small birds and snakes as large as puffadders. Their flight is slow, about 143 wingbeats per minute.
The bird’s nest is a platform built from sticks, lined with finer plant material, wool and hair. It favours trees, reeds and cliff ledges for the nest position.
They lay two to four pale blue eggs. Incubation is 23 to27 days and the young fly 40 to 55 days after hatching.
Its Zulu name is uNonkilonki and in Afrikaans, swartkopreier.
