White-necked Heron
Ardea pacifica Latham, 1801
881 gWeight
The white-necked heron or Pacific heron (Ardea pacifica) is a species of heron that is found on most of the Australian continent wherever freshwater habitats exist.
Busiest months: September–October · Most records: Australia
Where and when it's recorded
Busiest months: September–October · Most records: Australia
White-necked Heron has been recorded at 210 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 1 country or region.
Records by month Southern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Bowra Wildlife SanctuaryAustralia2,300 records
- Western Treatment PlantAustralia1,680 records
- Townsville Town Common Conservation ParkAustralia836 records
More places
- Hasties Swamp National ParkAustralia811 records
- Oxley Creek CommonAustralia667 records
- Kakadu National Park – Yellow WaterAustralia619 records
- Jerrabomberra Wetlands Nature ReserveAustralia498 records
- Richmond LowlandsAustralia424 records
- Western Treatment Plant – T Section PondsAustralia356 records
- Finland Road, Paradise WatersAustralia328 records
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The white-necked heron or Pacific heron (Ardea pacifica) is a species of heron that is found on most of the Australian continent wherever freshwater habitats exist. It is also found in parts of Indonesia and New Guinea, but is uncommon in Tasmania. The populations of this species in Australia are known to be nomadic like most water birds in Australia, moving from one water source to another, often entering habitats they have not previously occupied, taking advantage of flooding and heavy rain where the surplus of food allows them to breed and raise their young.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the White-necked Heron?
The White-necked Heron weighs around 881 g.
Where does the White-necked Heron live?
Its breeding range: Australasia: Australia. It is most often recorded in Australia.
When is the best time to see the White-necked Heron?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in September and October (Southern Hemisphere).
Is the White-necked Heron endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the White-necked Heron as Least Concern.
What does the White-necked Heron eat?
Main food: Omnivore.
What family is the White-necked Heron in?
It belongs to the family Herons, Bitterns (Ardeidae), order Pelecaniformes.
At a glance
- Weight
- 881 g
- Habitat
- Wetland
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Lifestyle
- Active on the ground
- Migration
- Partial migrant
- Conservation
- Least Concern
More measurements
- Wing
- 385 mm
- Tail
- 161 mm
- Bill
- 88 mm
- Tarsus
- 131 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Australasia: Australia
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
- Family
- Herons, Bitterns Ardeidae
- Genus
- Ardea
Other birds in the genus Ardea
Great EgretArdea alba
Yellow-billed EgretArdea brachyrhyncha
Medium EgretArdea intermedia
Plumed EgretArdea plumifera
Western Cattle EgretArdea ibis
Eastern Cattle EgretArdea coromanda
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
Great Blue HeronArdea herodias
Cocoi HeronArdea cocoi
Purple HeronArdea purpurea
Humblot's HeronArdea humbloti
White-bellied HeronArdea insignis
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by jimchurches. ↗
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