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Rufous (Nankeen) Night HeronAlternate name(s): "Night Heron"; misnomer: "Nankeen Crane" ![]() Size: 55-65 cm Weight: 550-900 g |
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Similar |
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Photos |
Race "hilli"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
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BREEDING |
Frontal view of an adult Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, August 2014]
Frontal view of a Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, August 2014]
Close-up frontal view of a Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron
in breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of
I. Duncan)
[Glen Iris wetlands, Melbourne, VIC, February 2013]
Close-up near-lateral view of a Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron
in breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Tumbling Waters, near Darwin, NT, September 2019]
Close-up lateral portrait of a Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron
in breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Botanical Garden, Melbourne, VIC, April 2022]
Lateral view of an adult Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron in breeding
plumage (photo courtesy of
I. Duncan)
[Glen Iris wetlands, Melbourne, VIC, February 2013]
Lateral view of an adult Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron in breeding
plumage, now in bright
sunlight
(photo courtesy of I. Duncan)
[Glen Iris wetlands, Melbourne, VIC, February 2013]
The same Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron as above, now with its bill
partly open (photo courtesy of I. Duncan)
[Glen Iris wetlands, Melbourne, VIC, February 2013]
Close-up near-dorsal view of a Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron
in breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Knuckey Lagoon, Darwin, NT, November 2018]
Near-dorsal view of a Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron in breeding
plumage hiding in
dark underbrush
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Herdsman Lake, Perth, WA, December 2014]
Lateral view of an adult Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron in flight
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2012]
Near-dorsal view of an adult Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron in flight
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2012]
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NON-BREEDING |
Close-up frontal portrait of an adult Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron in
non-breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, June 2017]
Close-up lateral view of an adult Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron in
non-breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, June 2017]
Adult Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron in non-breeding
plumage in
flight displaying its upperwing pattern
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, April 2013]
Adult Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron in non-breeding
plumage in
flight displaying its underwing pattern
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, April 2013]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Close-up lateral view of an immature Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Botanical Gardens, Darwin, NT, July 2018]
Close-up near-dorsal view of an immature Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Botanical Gardens, Darwin, NT, July 2018]
Dorsal view of an immature Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Botanical Gardens, Darwin, NT, July 2018]
Frontal view of a juvenile Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Broadwater, near Dalby, QLD, January 2018]
Frontal view of a juvenile Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron on a low perch
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, October 2011]
Now the Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron has seen something in the water
under its perch
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, October 2011]
Lateral view of a Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron
[Near Walgett, NSW, June 2012]
Lateral view of a juvenile Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron high up in a tree...
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, October 2011]
Immature Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron having a good look at the nosy
photographer
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, October 2011]
Immature Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron in flight
[Narrabri Lake, Narrabri, NSW, March 2017]
Dorsal view of a juvenile Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron in flight
[Near Moree, NSW, April 2012]
Upon landing this juvenile Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron displays its
wing pattern
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, October 2011]
Near-frontal view of a juvenile Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron
(photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
Near-fledging age Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron that does not have
flight yet, waiting to be fed by its parents
[Macquarie Marshes
NR, NSW, April 2011]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: Sep - Jan | Eggs: 2 - 4 | Incubation period: 21 - 22 days | Fledging age: 42 - 49 days |
The breeding season of Rufous (Nankeen) Night Herons depends on geographical latitude. The period listed in the table above refers to the SE of Australia. In the tropical North the breeding season is usually late in the wet season, i.e. February-April.
Nest building: ? | Incubation: Female & male | Dependent care: Female & male |
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Basket | Material: Sticks | Height above ground: <5(?) m |
Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron usually nest on horizontal forks in standing in, or at least near, water in swamps, shallows of lakes or intertidal wetlands.
Two Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron chicks studying the observer
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Cullen Bay, Darwin, NT, December 2017]
Two Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron chicks studying the observer
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Cullen Bay, Darwin, NT, December 2017]
View from below of the stick nest of a pair of Rufous (Nankeen) Night Herons
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Cullen Bay, Darwin, NT, December 2017]
One of the owners of the Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron nest shown above
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Cullen Bay, Darwin, NT, December 2017]
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 50 x 37 mm | Colour: Pale blue-green | Shape: Tapered oval |
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Communal | Mobility: Sedentary/dispersive | Elementary unit: Pair/family |
Although predominantly nocturnal, Rufous (Nankeen) 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. In major wetlands they can be seen in their thousands in a small area.
As their name already suggests, Rufous (Nankeen) Night Herons are
primarily nocturnal predators (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Buffalo Creek, Darwin, NT, July 2020]
Part of a larger population of Rufous (Nankeen) Night Herons in a
swamp at
Yarrie Lake, 30 km west of Narrabri, NSW
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, August 2012]
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 (photo below).
Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron using an horizontal branch to check for prey
from various vantage points
[Macquarie Marshes
NR, NSW, April 2011]
Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron demanding to be fed by humans
(photo courtesy of T. Rodoni)
[South Yunderup, WA, December 2013]
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Food, Diet |
The fact that this Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron is being pursued by a
White-breasted
Woodswallow during their breeding season indicates that
Night Herons may take other birds' nestlings
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2012]
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
rufhern_20140820.m4a |
hilli (Darwin, NT) |
Warning calls? ( Bar-shouldered Dove in bkgd) | © MD |
More Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.