The great-billed heron is a wading bird of the heron family, resident from southeast Asia to Papua New Guinea and Australia.
Region
Southeast Asia to New Guinea and northern Australia
Typical Environment
This species is mainly coastal, occurring along sheltered shorelines, estuaries, mangrove forests, tidal mudflats, rocky shores, and coral reef flats exposed at low tide. It is uncommon inland but may follow large rivers or occur around coastal lagoons. It ranges from mainland Southeast Asia and the Malay Archipelago through Papua New Guinea to northern Australia. Its presence is patchy and tied closely to intact coastal wetlands with minimal disturbance.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The great-billed heron is one of the largest herons in the Indo-Pacific, noted for its exceptionally long, heavy bill used to spear sizeable fish. It frequents remote coastal habitats such as mangroves and coral reef flats, often standing motionless for long periods while hunting. It is generally shy and solitary, which can make it difficult to observe.
Juvenile
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
strong flier with slow, deep wingbeats; neck retracted in flight
Social Behavior
Usually found alone or in pairs, foraging quietly along remote shorelines. Breeding is often solitary or in very small, loose groups, with nests placed in mangroves or trees near water. Both parents share incubation and chick-rearing duties.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Generally quiet, giving low, harsh croaks or grunts when alarmed or in flight. At nesting sites it may utter deeper, guttural calls during displays.
Plumage
Overall dark sooty-grey to brownish-grey with a slightly warmer, rufous-tinged neck and faint streaking on the foreneck. Feathers appear plain and uniform at distance, giving a dusky silhouette. The bill is very long, thick, and dagger-like.
Diet
Feeds primarily on fish, which it captures by waiting motionless and striking rapidly with its heavy bill. It also takes crustaceans such as crabs, as well as mollusks, amphibians, and small reptiles when available. Larger prey items are subdued and swallowed whole.
Preferred Environment
Forages along mangrove edges, tidal flats, shallow reef pools, and rocky shorelines exposed at low tide. It selects quiet, undisturbed coastal stretches with clear, shallow water.
