white-faced heron

Description:

A small sized heron with a white face, long sharp dark bill and a buff-coloured breast.

Habitat:

An Australian native. These two birds are seen around marshy areas and sometimes in suburban garden like these two. They are known to take fish from garden ponds.

Notes:

Heard strange sounds this morning and looked up to see these two alight on a eucalyptus tree in our front garden. They were perhaps on their way to some lake or reservoir !. Pic #2 shows a large spider web in front of the bird, glistening in the sun.. The white-faced heron is often mistaken for the larger Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) which is seen in temperate Europe and Africa.