AUSTRALIAN BIRDS – HERONS

The Australian herons that are featured on this website were all photographed in the wild, not in captivity.

Click on one of the links below to see images in another category within the extensive range of photos of Australian birds.

HONEYEATERS PARROTS EMUS SWALLOWS WRENS KOOKABURRAS WATERBIRDS BIRDS OF PREY ALL OTHER BIRDS

Nankeen night heron, Nycticorax caledonicus, beside creek in outback Queensland Australia

To see the photos of WATERBIRDS, WADERS AND SHOREBIRDS within a specific category 

The six species of herons that are permanent residents of Australia are among the most graceful of wading birds. They can be found in varied aquatic habitats, from the coast to the outback, and images of four species of these beautiful birds are featured in this photo gallery.

They include the Nankeen Night Heron, Nycticorax caledonicus, that, despite its colloquial name, is not a strictly nocturnal species. There’s often confusion about the identification of this attractive bird, for it wears two distinctly different costumes, with juvenile birds bearing little resemblance to their parents. Photos of both adult and immature birds are shown here.

You’ll also discover photos of the elegant White-faced Heron, Egretta novaehollandiae, wading in water, eating a fish, and in flight. There are images of the Striated / Mangrove Heron, Butorides striata, in both its rufous and grey forms that provide it with perfect camouflage when its patrolling coastal beaches and the rocky shore in search of prey. And last but certainly not the least attractive of Australian herons is the White-necked / Pacific Heron, Ardea pacifica, that’s shown in this photo gallery in both the adult and juvenile phases of its life.

CLICK ON A PHOTO TO SEE A LARGER VIEW AND FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE IMAGE.    BUY A PHOTO

Photos of Australia background image