Malagasy pond heron
| Malagasy pond heron | |
|---|---|
| In breeding plumage (top) and non-breeding plumage (bottom) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Pelecaniformes |
| Family: | Ardeidae |
| Genus: | Ardeola |
| Species: | A. idae |
| Binomial name | |
| Ardeola idae (Hartlaub, 1860) | |
| Yellow: Breeding range Blue: Non-breeding range | |
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. The population is estimated to number only 1,300–4,000 adults and the species is considered endangered.