It is certainly a
juvenile nankeen night heron
(as a sweeping statement, I suggest most initial reports of Australasian Bitterns are juvenile nankeen night herons). I suspected that from your earlier message but did not
respond, as there was no descriptive information to respond to (other than what is likely)
except that “hiding near our dam in Greenleigh all day”
seems unlikely for an
Australasian Bittern. The perched in a tree is a good clue, but it is stripy rather than mottled brown, all over. Most diagnostic is it has pale spots on the wings, rather than
finely patterned in brown. I wonder whether Australasian Bitterns would ever perch in that slim alert upright posture as in that photo.
Philip
From: Lyndal Thorburn [
Sent: Monday, 13 February, 2017 11:29 AM
To:
Subject: [canberrabirds] Bittern or Night Heron
Some have suggested our find on the weekend may have been a juvenile nankeen night heron - attached is pic for comment
In terms of behaviour (ie why is it up a tree), it spent the day hiding on the strut of our bridge (ie under the bridge) but my husband disturbed it when he first went down to the dam and again when he came
back with the camera. He was very impressed with its camouflage as you can't see the bird at all in his first pics on his phone. He said it clattered out of its hiding place when he approached and flew clumsily up to a gum tree where it watch him warily, and
went back under the bridge as soon as he left
If you need higher res pics I can send them but not through this chatline
Lyndal Thorburn
