Photo: Glen Fergus / CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-faced Heron
Egretta novaehollandiae
White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae) — Herons, Pelicans & Ibises of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 19 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae) is a member of the Ardeidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 559 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 novaehollandiae
Where it lives
Timor (eastern Lesser Sundas), Australasia to New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga (southwestern, south-central Polynesia)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 559 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Ardeidae
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-faced Heron hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The White-faced Heron is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae) is a species of bird in the Ardeidae family, part of the order Pelecaniformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Timor (e Lesser Sundas), Australasia to New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga (sw, sc Polynesia).
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 559 g, with a wing length of about 29.8 cm and a tail of around 11.5 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 2.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-faced Heron?
The White-faced Heron is a large bird that weighs around 559 g.
Where does the White-faced Heron live?
The White-faced Heron is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Timor (e Lesser Sundas), Australasia to New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga (sw, sc Polynesia), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the White-faced Heron belong to?
The White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae) belongs to the Ardeidae family, in the order Pelecaniformes.
What does the White-faced Heron eat?
The White-faced Heron hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the White-faced Heron migrate?
The White-faced Heron is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the White-faced 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 White-faced Heron make?
1 real field recording of the White-faced Heron — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the White-faced Heron's range?
The White-faced Heron has a mapped global range of about 2.7 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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