White-necked Heron

The White-necked Heron is a stately heron species that is an irregular visitor to these parts. It is highly nomadic and generally appears after good rain when the paddocks are wet and there are lots of ephemeral water bodies. Not much is known about any regular or seasonal movement patterns.

Unlike the more common White-faced Heron we have here permanently, the White-necked Heron, Ardea pacifica (Ardea = heron and pacifica = peaceful) is seldom seen close to the coast.

White-faced Herons feed on insects and aquatic animals that they locate in shallow pools or the wet grass by standing and waiting for prey to appear or by walking slowly and even stirring the water with their feet to disturb a tasty morsel.

Seasonal conditions determine when White-necked Herons breed. They build a stick platform-nest in a tree usually near water. The Murray-Darling Basin is their most favoured breeding ground.

The White-necked Heron (890-920mm) is a much larger bird than ‘our’ usual White-faced Herons (650-690mm).