Ardeola

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Ordo: Saurischia
Cladus: Eusaurischia
Subordo: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Cladus: Averostra
Cladus: Tetanurae
Cladus: Avetheropoda
Cladus: Coelurosauria
Cladus: Tyrannoraptora
Cladus: Maniraptoromorpha
Cladus: Maniraptoriformes
Cladus: Maniraptora
Cladus: Pennaraptora
Cladus: Paraves
Cladus: Eumaniraptora
Cladus: Avialae
Infraclassis: Aves
Cladus: Euavialae
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Neognathae
Cladus: Neoaves
Cladus: Aequornithes
Ordo: Pelecaniformes

Familia: Ardeidae
Subfamilia: Ardeinae
Genus: Ardeola
Species: A. bacchus – A. grayii – A. idae – A. ralloides – A. rufiventris – A. speciosa
Name

Ardeola Boie, 1822
Typus

Ardea ralloides Scopoli, 1769, = Ardeola ralloides

References

Isis von Oken 10, 11: col.559.

Vernacular names
العربية: بلشون البحيرات
azərbaycanca: Pırtlaşıqlələk
کوردی: شاوەی گۆمی
Deutsch: Schopfreiher
English: Pond Heron
فارسی: حواصیل برکه‌نشین
suomi: Rääkkähaikarat
français: Crabier
қазақша: Сабалақ құтандар туысы
ಕನ್ನಡ: ಕೊಳದ ಬಕ
한국어: 흰날개해오라기속
lietuvių: Tvenkininiai garniai
русский: Прудовые цапли
українська: Жовта чапля
中文: 池鹭属

Pond herons (Ardeola) are herons, typically 40–50 cm (16–20 in) long with an 80–100 cm (30–40 in) wingspan. Most breed in the tropical Old World, but the migratory squacco heron occurs in southern Europe and the Middle East and winters in Africa. The scientific name comes from Latin ardeola, a small heron (ardea).[1]

These pond herons are stocky species with a short neck, short thick bill, typically buff or brownish back, and coloured or streaked fore neck and breast. In summer, adults may have long neck feathers. Ardeola herons are transformed in flight, looking very white due to the brilliant white wings.

Their breeding habitat is marshy wetlands. They nest in small colonies, often with other wading birds, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. Two to five eggs are laid.

These herons feed on insects, fish and amphibians. They are often found on small ponds giving rise to the English name shared by most of the species.
Species

Image	Name	Common name	Distribution
	Ardeola grayii	Indian pond heron	southern Iran and east to Pakistan, India, Burma, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
	Ardeola ralloides	Squacco heron	southern Europe and the Greater Middle East.
	Ardeola bacchus	Chinese pond heron	China and adjacent temperate and subtropical East Asia.
	Ardeola speciosa	Javan pond heron	Southeast Asia.
	Ardeola idae	Malagasy pond heron	Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Zambia
	Ardeola rufiventris	Rufous-bellied heron	Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

.
References

Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 54. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.