The nankeen night heron is a heron that belongs to the genus Nycticorax and the family Ardeidae. Due to its distinctive reddish-brown colour, it is also commonly referred to as the rufous night heron. It is primarily nocturnal and is observed in a broad range of habitats, including forests, meadows, shores, reefs, marshes, grasslands, and swamps. The species is 55 to 65 cm in length, with rich cinnamon upperparts and white underparts. The nankeen night heron has a stable population size, and is classified as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Region
Australasia and Southeast Asia
Typical Environment
Found widely across Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands including New Caledonia and the Solomon Islands, with occurrences in parts of eastern Indonesia. It occupies a broad range of wet habitats such as rivers, lakes, swamps, marshes, mangroves, estuaries, and artificial water bodies. It tolerates both coastal and inland sites and often uses wooded areas adjacent to water for roosting. During droughts or after heavy rains, it may move nomadically to newly productive wetlands.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Other
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Also called the rufous night heron, it is a largely nocturnal heron that roosts communally by day and feeds at dusk and night. Breeding can be triggered by rainfall and flooding, with colonies forming in mangroves or trees over water. It adapts well to human-altered wetlands, including urban lakes and irrigated farmland. In breeding season, adults display long white nape plumes.
N. c. australasiae immature
Temperament
solitary and crepuscular, often roosting communally
Flight Pattern
steady, deep wingbeats; flies low over water
Social Behavior
Typically roosts in groups by day in trees near water and forages singly or in small numbers at night. Breeds colonially, often in mangroves or trees over water, building platform nests of sticks. Both sexes share incubation and chick-rearing duties.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
Vocalizations include harsh, croaking barks and repetitive 'wok' or 'quok' notes, often given in flight at dusk. Calls are loud and carry over wetlands, especially around colonies.
