Photo: tjeales / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Pied Heron
Egretta picata
Pied Heron (Egretta picata) — Herons, Pelicans & Ibises of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 14 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Pied Heron (Egretta picata) is a member of the Ardeidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 259 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 Egretta
- Species picata
Where it lives
Sulawesi and northeastern WA to northeastern QLD (northern Australia)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 259 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Ardeidae
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Pied Heron hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of coastal habitats, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Pied Heron is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Pied Heron (Egretta picata) is a species of bird in the Ardeidae family, part of the order Pelecaniformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Sulawesi and ne WA to ne QLD (n Australia).
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 259 g, with a wing length of about 22.6 cm and a tail of around 8.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 133,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Pied Heron?
The Pied Heron is a large bird that weighs around 259 g.
Where does the Pied Heron live?
The Pied Heron is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Sulawesi and ne WA to ne QLD (n Australia), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Pied Heron belong to?
The Pied Heron (Egretta picata) belongs to the Ardeidae family, in the order Pelecaniformes.
What does the Pied Heron eat?
The Pied Heron hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Pied Heron migrate?
The Pied Heron is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Pied 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 Pied Heron make?
1 real field recording of the Pied 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 Pied Heron's range?
The Pied Heron has a mapped global range of about 133,000 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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