Photo: Helenabella / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Nankeen Night Heron
Nycticorax caledonicus
Nankeen Night Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus) — Herons, Pelicans & Ibises of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Nankeen Night Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus) is a member of the Ardeidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 856 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Pelecaniformes
- Family Ardeidae Herons, Bitterns
- Genus Nycticorax
- Species caledonicus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 856 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Ardeidae
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Nankeen Night Heron hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Nankeen Night Heron is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Nankeen Night Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus) belongs to the Ardeidae family of the order Pelecaniformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU widespread.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 856 g, with a wing length of about 30 cm and a tail of around 11.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 7.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Nankeen Night Heron?
The Nankeen Night Heron is a large bird that weighs around 856 g.
Where does the Nankeen Night Heron live?
The Nankeen Night Heron is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU widespread, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Nankeen Night Heron belong to?
The Nankeen Night Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus) belongs to the Ardeidae family, in the order Pelecaniformes.
What does the Nankeen Night Heron eat?
The Nankeen Night Heron hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Nankeen Night Heron migrate?
The Nankeen Night Heron is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Nankeen Night Heron endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Nankeen Night Heron make?
1 real field recording of the Nankeen Night Heron — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Nankeen Night Heron's range?
The Nankeen Night Heron has a mapped global range of about 7.7 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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