ABSTRACT
Family Ardeidae contains sixty two species, with representatives throughout the tropical and temperate regions of the world. Twenty one occur in the Afrotropical Region and, of these, eighteen are found in Kenya. Most species breed in Kenya, but populations of some are augmented by migrants from the Palearctic. The only totally non-breeding, regular visitor is the Madagascar Squacco Heron. Bittern's Palearctic migrants have been recorded south (S) to Nigeria, north (N) Zaire, Sudan and Ethiopia, while a resident race occurs S of about 8°S. Cattle egret spreads S of 15°N, apart from the interior of the arid SW. This is a pronounced intra-African migrant, apparently breeding in only relatively restricted areas of the continent. Squacco heron found common on lakes and sluggish water bodies with fringing or floating vegetation: coastal records do not refer to the open shore. Breeding can take place solitarily, in small colonies or alongside other species in established heronries.
