689:
705:
573:
439:
91:
677:
66:
42:
665:
walking slowly in shallow water, wing flicking, foot raking or even chasing prey with open wings. White-faced herons generally feed solitarily or independently in small groups. White-faced herons are generally territorial during breeding season but may feed in groups during non-breeding season, particularly after rain or flooding.
619:
Breeding generally takes place in the austral spring, but the birds may breed at other times in response to rainfall. Breeding generally takes place in southern
Australia, and birds disperse for long distances at other times of year. Both sexes share the task of building the nest, incubating the eggs
664:
White-faced herons eat most small aquatic creatures and their varied diet is fish, frogs, small reptiles and insects. It uses a variety of techniques to find food including standing still and waiting for prey movement (often employing a peculiarly rhythmic neck movement whether in water or on land),
555:
The white-faced heron is locally nomadic and found in both fresh and salty wetlands, farm dams, pastures, grasslands, crops, shores, saltmarsh, tidal mudflats, boat-harbours, beaches, golf courses, orchards or in garden fish-ponds. It is protected in
688:
289:, pale, slightly bluish-grey, with yellow legs and white facial markings. It can be found almost anywhere near shallow water, fresh or salt, and although it is prompt to depart the scene on long, slow-beating wings if disturbed, it will boldly raid
704:
624:
is an untidy shallow bowl, made of sticks and usually placed on a leafy branch 5–12 m high, at altitudes from sea level to over 1000 m. When breeding the birds have long feathers (
387:) on account of plumage and skull similarities. Using DNA-DNA hybridization in a 1987 study, Frederick Sheldon confirmed the white-faced heron was a member of the egret clade.
343:—because of the absence of the plumes typical in that genus. In his review of the family Ardeidae, American ornithologist Walter J. Bock placed the white-faced heron into
1499:
462:
are white. The crown pattern is variable, with the white occasionally spreading down the neck; the variability makes identification of individuals possible. The
1538:
636:
is raised per year. Incubation lasts approximately 25 days. The parents guard the chicks for 3–4 weeks and fledging takes place 40 days after hatching. Typical
1664:
480:
Immature birds are paler grey with only the throat white, and often have a reddish colour on the underparts. Chicks are typically covered with grey down.
969:
Curry-Lindahl, Kai (1971). "Systematic relationships in herons
Ardeidae, based on comparative studies of behaviour and ecology. A preliminary account".
1473:
1512:
322:. Latham based his account on the "white-fronted heron" that had been described and illustrated in 1789 by the first Governor of New South Wales
1571:
1260:
1211:
933:
The Voyage of
Governor Phillip to Botany Bay; with an Account of the Establishment of the Colonies of Port Jackson & Norfolk Island, etc
561:
893:
Index
Ornithologicus, Sive Systema Ornithologiae: Complectens Avium Divisionem In Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, Ipsarumque Varietates
1106:
871:
827:
1684:
1679:
1623:
583:
The white-faced heron typically perches on fence-posts, trees, telephone poles and house roofs. Its flight is slow and bouncing.
572:
1517:
1689:
711:
948:
1694:
1424:
1359:
887:
477:
The adult typically weighs 550 g (1.21 lb) and ranges from 60 to 70 cm (24–28 in) in height.
306:
202:
1337:
997:
1543:
470:) are black. The beak is black and often pale grey at the base. During the breeding season pinkish-brown or bronze
1377:
90:
1674:
1073:"Twentieth Century Aboriginal Harvesting Practices in the Rural Landscape of the Lower Murray, South Australia"
1172:
Chen, Xiaolin; Chen, Zhihong; Fang, Wenzhen (2000). "Short
Communication: New Record of the White-faced Heron
863:
819:
676:
466:
may be grey, green, dull yellow or cinnamon. The regions between the eye and bill on the side of the head (
1398:
1299:
1597:
1429:
185:
438:
757:
1628:
1563:
1390:
1346:
548:. It was self-introduced to New Zealand in the late 1940s. It is the only heron recorded breeding in
916:. Vol. 1 (2nd ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 211.
302:
55:
1615:
1268:
1154:
1411:
1193:
1053:
1045:
545:
348:
259:
211:
85:
1602:
1351:
1504:
1364:
1584:
1530:
1447:
1102:
867:
823:
645:
380:
356:
1589:
1231:
632:
has three to five pale blue eggs. with an average size of 48.5×35 mm. Normally only one
599:
and is typically given in flight, in interactions or in aggressive encounters. Another call,
1669:
1185:
1035:
978:
752:
633:
517:
1403:
541:
451:
446:
The adult white-faced heron is medium-sized for the family and mostly pale blue-grey. The
364:
1641:
1553:
1416:
734:
927:
474:
plumes appear on the foreneck and breast, with blue-grey plumes appearing on the back.
467:
463:
323:
142:
17:
1658:
1525:
1125:
1072:
743:
629:
537:
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497:
335:
316:
311:
267:
75:
70:
1246:
1197:
1057:
931:
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891:
375:
herons. They noted that Bock had not given reasons why he had placed the species in
41:
1452:
423:
1439:
982:
1610:
1486:
1331:
509:
489:
275:
1636:
907:
695:
641:
493:
407:
263:
251:
247:
1322:
1247:"Bimbimbie ornithological services – Notable behaviours of white-faced heron"
591:
The most common call of the white-faced heron is a gravelly croak or gobble,
49:
The white-faced heron in breeding plumage, in a characteristic resting pose.
621:
557:
513:
501:
279:
271:
102:
520:
but has not yet been recorded breeding there. It is also commonly found on
410:
have previously been described, but are now not recognised taxonomically.
1316:
637:
577:
549:
447:
122:
998:"Systematics and evolutionary relationships among the herons (Ardeidae)"
413:
Appearance and behaviour are more closely related to those in the genus
1478:
1385:
1049:
625:
529:
471:
415:
162:
1372:
1005:
Miscellaneous
Publications, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan
525:
521:
459:
290:
112:
1491:
1465:
1293:
1189:
1040:
1023:
367:
and
Christopher J. Risley placed the white-faced heron in the genus
512:, the islands of the Subantarctic, and all but the driest areas of
1460:
896:(in Latin). Vol. 2. London: Leigh & Sotheby. p. 701.
571:
533:
437:
286:
152:
1576:
814:
Kushlan, James
Anthony; Hancock, James; Thelwell, David (2005).
649:
455:
426:
people of the Lower Murray region in South
Australia knew it as
255:
132:
1297:
1024:"Phylogeny of herons estimated from DNA-DNA hybridization data"
653:
694:
Three white-faced herons squabble as they approach a perch (
603:
is typically given upon returning to a nest. High pitched
371:
due to its skeletal anatomy resembling egrets more than
333:
It was historically considered to be closely related to
1306:
1149:
1147:
1145:
1143:
1141:
1139:
936:. London: Printed for John Stockdale. p. 163.
488:The white-faced heron is found throughout most of
996:Payne, Robert B.; Risley, Christopher J. (1976).
758:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22696938A93594542.en
359:felt the species was a dwarf member of the genus
339:but for some time it was placed in its own genus—
949:"A generic review of the family Ardeidae (Aves)"
628:plumes) on the neck, head and back. A typical
1092:
1090:
8:
1232:Australian Museum Online – White-faced Heron
328:The Voyage of Governor Phillip to Botany Bay
309:. He placed it with the herons in the genus
1241:
1239:
1294:
1120:
1118:
809:
807:
805:
803:
801:
799:
797:
795:
64:
40:
31:
1227:
1225:
1039:
793:
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779:
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853:
851:
849:
847:
845:
843:
841:
839:
379:, and felt its closest relative was the
971:Ostrich: Journal of African Ornithology
725:
672:
544:. It is mostly a winter visitor to the
1077:Records of the South Australian Museum
858:Pizzey, Graham; Knight, Frank (1997).
910:; Cottrell, G. William, eds. (1979).
860:Field Guide to the Birds of Australia
305:in 1790 by the English ornithologist
7:
1564:f6750936-06a3-40b7-b28c-864a48a54208
562:National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974
1665:IUCN Red List least concern species
744:IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
532:, and has appeared as a vagrant in
347:, holding it to be related to the
278:, and all but the driest areas of
25:
1101:. CSIRO Publishing. p. 104.
516:. The species is now resident on
913:Check-List of Birds of the World
703:
687:
675:
611:calls are given as alarm calls.
355:. Similarly, Swedish naturalist
89:
1218:. BirdLife international. 2008.
733:BirdLife International (2016).
1022:Sheldon, Frederick H. (1987).
620:and caring for the young. The
1:
983:10.1080/00306525.1971.9633397
1099:Herons, Egrets and Bitterns
1711:
1176:in Xiamen (Amoy), China".
301:The white-faced heron was
1097:McKilligan, Neil (2005).
956:American Museum Novitates
246:, and incorrectly as the
224:Notophoyx novaehollandiae
217:
210:
191:
184:
86:Scientific classification
84:
62:
53:
48:
39:
34:
947:Bock, Walter J. (1956).
751:: e.T22696938A93594542.
484:Distribution and habitat
1685:Birds of Norfolk Island
1680:Birds described in 1790
1642:Egretta-novaehollandiae
1378:egretta-novaehollandiae
1365:Egretta_novaehollandiae
1352:Egretta_novaehollandiae
1338:Egretta novaehollandiae
1308:Egretta novaehollandiae
1214:Egretta novaehollandiae
1174:Egretta novaehollandiae
977:(Supplement 1): 53–70.
864:HarperCollinsPublishers
820:Oxford University Press
737:Egretta novaehollandiae
402:from New Caledonia and
239:Egretta novaehollandiae
195:Egretta novaehollandiae
177:E. novaehollandiae
18:Egretta novaehollandiae
580:
443:
1598:Paleobiology Database
1071:Clarke, P.A. (2003).
862:. Sydney, Australia:
712:Royal Botanic Gardens
575:
441:
392:E. n. novaehollandiae
320:Ardea novaehollandiae
285:It is a medium-sized
220:Ardea novaehollandiae
1690:Birds of New Zealand
1212:"Species factsheet:
442:Non-breeding plumage
242:) also known as the
1271:on 15 February 2012
1261:"White Faced Heron"
1155:"White-faced Heron"
1126:"White-faced heron"
714:, Sydney, Australia
258:throughout most of
244:white-fronted heron
56:Conservation status
1695:Birds of Australia
1412:BirdLife-Australia
1159:Birds in Backyards
646:Australian magpies
640:predators include
581:
546:Northern Territory
444:
351:, and synonymised
349:white-necked heron
303:formally described
35:White-faced heron
1652:
1651:
1585:Open Tree of Life
1554:white-faced-heron
1417:white-faced-heron
1300:Taxon identifiers
1265:birdphotos.com.au
605:wrank, oooooooooh
496:, the islands of
381:little blue heron
357:Kai Curry-Lindahl
266:, the islands of
234:white-faced heron
230:
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79:
16:(Redirected from
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315:and coined the
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1611:SeaLifeBase
1487:iNaturalist
1332:Wikispecies
1275:30 December
908:Mayr, Ernst
764:12 November
642:kookaburras
576:In flight,
510:New Zealand
490:Australasia
434:Description
390:Subspecies
307:John Latham
276:New Zealand
260:Australasia
1659:Categories
1637:Xeno-canto
1184:(4): 340.
816:The Herons
720:References
696:East Timor
560:under the
494:New Guinea
458:and upper
408:Irian Jaya
400:E. n. nana
264:New Guinea
252:blue crane
248:grey heron
568:Behaviour
558:Australia
514:Australia
502:Indonesia
353:Notophoyx
341:Notophoyx
280:Australia
272:Indonesia
171:Species:
109:Kingdom:
103:Eukaryota
1531:22696938
1505:10591979
1404:22696938
1399:BirdLife
1317:Wikidata
1198:90228813
1058:53589782
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890:(1790).
638:nestling
615:Breeding
609:aaarrrgh
578:Tasmania
550:Tasmania
540:and the
448:forehead
297:Taxonomy
291:suburban
212:Synonyms
153:Ardeidae
149:Family:
123:Chordata
119:Phylum:
113:Animalia
99:Domain:
76:IUCN 3.1
1670:Egretta
1590:1032052
1479:2480897
1466:whfher1
1440:whfher1
1386:Avibase
1323:Q392236
1050:4087238
1028:The Auk
669:Gallery
660:Feeding
626:nuptial
530:Sumbawa
472:nuptial
416:Egretta
369:Egretta
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164:Egretta
159:Genus:
139:Order:
129:Class:
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536:, the
526:Flores
522:Lombok
460:throat
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203:Latham
1624:WoRMS
1500:IRMNG
1461:eBird
1453:6DZ3D
1437:BOW:
1430:53123
1194:S2CID
1054:S2CID
1046:JSTOR
1001:(PDF)
952:(PDF)
650:hawks
634:brood
597:graaw
593:graak
534:China
468:lores
452:crown
406:from
377:Ardea
373:Ardea
361:Ardea
345:Ardea
336:Ardea
312:Ardea
287:heron
250:, or
1572:OBIS
1539:NCBI
1526:IUCN
1513:ITIS
1492:4936
1474:GBIF
1425:BOLD
1277:2008
1103:ISBN
868:ISBN
824:ISBN
766:2021
749:2016
654:owls
652:and
622:nest
587:Call
528:and
464:iris
456:chin
422:The
394:and
256:bird
232:The
133:Aves
1448:CoL
1360:AFD
1347:ADW
1186:doi
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