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White-necked Heron
Ardea pacifica
-17.4344, 123.723
Field Notes
Description:
The White-necked Heron is "a large heron with a white head and a long white neck with a double line of black spots running down the front. The upperparts of the body are slate-black, with plum-coloured nuptial plumes on the back and breast during the breeding season. Underparts are grey streaked with white. The bill is black, the naked facial skin is is blue or yellow, the eyes are green, and the legs and feet are black. " (Birdlife Australia)
Habitat:
This is towards the end of the dry season and in the build up to the wet season. Although the water level was low at the time, (it got much lower see pic 6 taken three weeks after the White-necked Heron), there was still water and food due to the large amount of rain from the previous wet season (see pic 5 taken April 2017 just after the wet season) . Mankajarra has stands of Paperbark Trees (Melaleuca sp.) and other plants along the edges of the water. When the water level is high, the trees are in the water (see pic 5) and the birds have many more places to hide in and hunt from.
Notes:
I think these birds are just beautiful.
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