Ardeola idae
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
The Malagasy pond heron (Ardeola idae), also known as the Madagascar pond heron or Madagascar squacco heron, is a species of heron of the family Ardeidae. They breed in Madagascar, Réunion and the Seychelles, and spend the non-breeding season in eastern mainland Africa. As of 2021, the population is estimated to number between 1,000 – 2,500 adults and the species is considered endangered.
The Malagasy pond heron was first described in 1860 by German physician and ornithologist Gustav Hartlaub. The species is monotypic, without distinct subspecies. Malagasy pond herons grow to 45–50 cm (18–20 in) in height and anywhere from 250–350 g (9–12 oz) in weight. There is not a large variation in weight between the sexes as they are quite similar in bone body structure. feather, eye, and bill colour are determined by life stage (chick, juvenile, and adult) and reproductive status.
The adults appearance can be split into the non-breeding plumage and the breeding stage. When the species is not breeding, the crown and the posterior are a colour mixture of buff and black with brown prominent over the other parts of the body. The bill is predominately green with a... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ankarafantsika National Park | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | |
| 2 | Mikumi National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 3 | Berenty Reserve | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | |
| 4 | Arusha National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 5 | Ranomafana National Park | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | |
| 6 | Mantadia National Park | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | |
| 7 | Nairobi National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 8 | Amboseli National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Antananarivo | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | |
| 2 | Mombasa | 🇰🇪 Kenya |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Walsrode World Bird Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 2 | Botanical and Zoological Garden of Tsimbazaza | 🇲🇬 Madagascar |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Madagascar Pond Heron sighting in Berenty Reserve on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 57th most-seen of the 63 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Between 3 and 6 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Madagascar Pond Heron sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
3rd of 8
Of the 8 parks where we can rate Madagascar Pond Heron sightings, Berenty Reserve ranks 3rd at under 5%. The best odds are in Ankarafantsika National Park (Madagascar, about 10%) and Mikumi National Park (Tanzania, about 10%).
Same family: Ardeidae
The closest relatives of the Madagascar Pond Heron that you can see in Berenty Reserve (family Ardeidae, Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns) are Cattle Egret (about 60%), Great Egret (about 20%) and Little Egret (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Madagascar Pond Heron is recorded against all the birds logged in Berenty Reserve (7 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
