Very small heron of marshy, well-vegetated water bodies.
Not listed
At a glance
FamilyHerons, Egrets, and Bitterns
SizeMedium
RarityRare
HabitatCoastal waters, beaches, estuaries, harbours, islands, and offshore waters depending on season.
Best timeMost reliable in Queensland from August.
Range map
Range map
1visible hotspots
1visible records
1states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence
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
Adult pale orangish brown or yellow, depending on the light, with a narrow dark cap. Juvenile darker above with pale feather edges. Can be inconspicuous in dense vegetation, but frequently makes short flights; on flying birds, note dark flight feathers contrasting with pale yellowish wing coverts.
Behavior
Typically quiet, but occasionally gives harsh grating calls when flushed.
Gallery
Regional timing
Queensland