Iris orange, Skin patch limited to head. Juvenile has head entirely feathered, iris dark brown. Voice. Calls lower, more guttural.
Not Threatened.
Iris orange, Skin patch limited to head. Juvenile has head entirely feathered, iris dark brown. Voice. Calls lower, more guttural.
cm, male 4761-8729 g, female 3628-7255 g, wingspan 200-230 cm
Taxonomy:
- Ardea rubicunda Perry, 1810, Botany Bay, New South Wales. N and S populations formerly placed in separate races, with argentea for N birds; subspecific division no longer widely accepted, although the two populations are probably independent. Monotypic. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Distribution:
- N & E Australia; small populations in New Guinea, in basin of R Sepik and in Trans-Fly.
Varies in season and between N and S Ausatralia. Habitat in NG unstudied.
Widely varied diet. Major food items is sedge tubers, also takes insect, cerals grains and nuts.
In Australia, breeding coincides with wet season in N, peaking in Feb-Mar. Usually 2 eggs, incubation 28-31 days, chicks grey with buff head and neck. Sexually mature at 3-5 years. NoT, CITES II, Non migratory, generally stbale population.