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Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron

(Nycticorax caledonicus)
Alternative name: "Nankeen Crane"
Aboriginal name: "dharrun" [yuwaalaraay], "yirrin" [yuwaalaraay]
Size: 55-65 cm

Habitat
(for details refer to a field guide)

Rufous Night Herons inhabit basically the coastal fringe around Australia, including parts of Tasmania, and the northern tropics, plus roughly the eastern half of the continent. They are only rarely found in the southern half of the NT and not at all in the arid interior of WA and western SA. There are no Rufous Night Herons along the coastline of the Great Bight either.

They can be found in almost any kind of wetland, from tidal flats and estuaries to rivers, lakes, farm dams and even garden ponds, where they hunt in shallow water.

Sightings

Rufous (Nankeen) Night Herons are found along waterways in many parts of Australia. However, they may be hard to spot, because sitting in dense foliage during most of the day and emerging normally only at night. Seen by us on a bank of the Namoi River near Boggabri, NSW, in November 2006.

A number of birds were observed at Macquarie Marshes Nature Reserve in April 2011. In October 2011 two families with immature birds were spotted at Yarrie Lake, 25 km west of Narrabri, NSW. In January 2012 a single bird was spotted at Narrabri Lake, in the township of Narrabri.

Also spotted on a trip to Western Australia, near Geraldton, in 2004.

Photos

Near-frontal view of an adult bird

Similar posture, photo kindly contributed by E. Pompei

Frontal view of an immature bird on a low perch

Now it has seen something in the water under its perch

Lateral view of an immature bird high up in a tree...

... here seen having a good look at the nosy photographer

Immature bird in flight

Upon landing this immature bird displays its wing pattern

Young bird that does not have flight yet, waiting to be fed by its parents

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal Mobility: Sedentary/dispersive Elementary unit: Pair/family

Although predominantly nocturnal, Rufous Night Herons have been observed by us regularly when active during the day (and not flushed by us). We have seen them hunting in the morning, near midday and early afternoon.

At Macquarie Marshes NR we observed a bird walking to and fro on a major, almost horizontal branch, checking for prey underneath from various vantage points (see photo below).

Rufous Night Heron using a branch to check for prey from various vantage points