White-necked Heron.
Photo: K Vang and W Dabrowka © Bird Explorers
White-necked Heron.
Photo: Purnell Collection © Australian Museum
White-necked Heron in flight.
Photo: K Vang and W Dabrowka © Bird Explorers
Distribution map of Ardea pacifica
Map © Birds Australia Birdata
White-necked Heron
Scientific name: Ardea pacifica
Family: Ardeidae
Order: Ciconiiformes
- Featured Bird Groups
- Water birds
What does it look like?
Description
The White-necked Heron is a large heron with a white head and a long white neck with a double line of black spots running down the front. The upperparts of the body are slate-black, with plum-coloured nuptial plumes on the back and breast during the breeding season. Underparts are grey streaked with white. The bill is black, the naked facial skin is is blue or yellow, the eyes are green, and the legs and feet are black. The White-necked Heron is sometimes known as the Pacific Heron.
Similar species
The Pied Heron, A. picata, is a similar slate-black heron with contrasting white throat and neck, but it is a much smaller (43 cm - 52 cm) bird, with a crested dark cap that extends below the eyes, yellow legs, and a bill that is mostly yellow.
Where does it live?
Distribution
The White-necked Heron is distributed throughout mainland Australia, inhabiting mainly fresh water wetlands.
Habitat
Although White-necked Herons are sometimes seen in tidal areas, most are found in shallow fresh waters, including farm dams, flooded pastures, claypans, and even roadside ditches.
Seasonal movements
White-necked Herons have regular winter or spring movements in many areas, but little is known of their patterns of movement.
What does it do?
Feeding
White-necked Herons feed by wading in shallow water or stalking through wet grass looking for fish, amphibians, crustaceans and insects.
Breeding
White-necked Herons will breed in any month of the year in response to good rain, but most breeding occurs between September and December. The nest is a loose platform in a living tree such as a river red gum near or over water. The nests may be solitary or in loose colonies. Eggs are incubated by both parents.
Living with us
Living with humans
Farm dams and irrigation and drainage ditches provide feeding habitat for White-necked Herons, but drainage of swamps and diversion on natural river flows disrupts breeding activity.
References
Pizzey, G. and Knight, F. 1997. Field Guide to the Birds of Australia. Angus and Robertson, Sydney.
Morcombe, M. 2000. Field guide to Australian Birds. Steve Parish Publishing.
Higgins, P.J. and S.J.J.F. Davies (eds) 1996. Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds, Volume 3 (Snipe to Pigeons). Oxford University Press, Victoria.
Slater, P, Slater, P, and Slater, R 1989. The Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds. Lansdowne. Revised edition.