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Stocky heron with neck usually tucked in.
Not listed
At a glance
FamilyHerons, Egrets, and Bitterns
SizeLarge
RarityRare
HabitatMarshes, estuaries, river edges, mangroves, mudflats, and shallow water.
Best timeMost reliable in Western Australia from April.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Thierry THOMAS
Range map
Range map
4visible hotspots
8visible records
1states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Adults overall pale grayish with black cap and back. Red eyes. Juveniles noticeably different, brown and streaky with yellow eyes. Often crouched under overhanging branches during the day.
Behavior
Feeds nocturnally for fish, frogs and other prey. Where it overlaps with Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, note large teardrop-shaped white spots on wing coverts which Yellow-crowned lacks.
Gallery