White-necked Heron

White-necked Heron

Ardea pacifica

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
5–10% · With luck
overall probability at Great Otway National Park
219 Verified records at Great Otway National Park
October Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The white-necked heron or Pacific heron (Ardea pacifica) is a species of heron that is found on most of the Australian continent wherever freshwater habitats exist. It is also found in parts of Indonesia and New Guinea, but is uncommon in Tasmania. The populations of this species in Australia are known to be nomadic like most water birds in Australia, moving from one water source to another, often entering habitats they have not previously occupied, taking advantage of flooding and heavy rain where the surplus of food allows them to breed and raise their young. Irruptive movements may occur when environmental conditions are right in places where the species has been rare or absent. Wikipedia →

5–10% of wildlife watchers report a White-necked Heron sighting in Great Otway National Park, based on 219 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Great Otway National Park

Great Egret
LC Endemic

Great Egret

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ardea alba

10–20% · With luck
Ardea modesta

Ardea modesta

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ardea modesta

5–10% · With luck
White-faced Heron
LC

White-faced Heron

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Egretta novaehollandiae

30–40% · Possible
Nankeen Night-Heron
LC

Nankeen Night-Heron

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Nycticorax caledonicus

<5% · Rare
intermediate egret

intermediate egret

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Egretta intermedia

<5% · Rare
Little Egret
LC

Little Egret

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Egretta garzetta

<5% · Rare
Australasian Bittern
VU

Australasian Bittern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Botaurus poiciloptilus

Insufficient data
Australian Pelican
LC

Australian Pelican

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pelecanus conspicillatus

10–20% · With luck
Australian White Ibis

Australian White Ibis

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Threskiornis molucca

5–10% · With luck
Royal Spoonbill
LC

Royal Spoonbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Platalea regia

5–10% · With luck
Straw-necked Ibis
LC

Straw-necked Ibis

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Threskiornis spinicollis

<5% · Rare
Yellow-billed Spoonbill
LC Endemic

Yellow-billed Spoonbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Platalea flavipes

<5% · Rare

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
<5
Feb
<5
Mar
<5
Apr
<5
May
10–20
Jun
5–10
Jul
5–10
Aug
10–20
Sep
20–30
Oct
10–20
Nov
5–10
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Kakadu National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
30–40%
2 Grampians National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
3 Litchfield National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
5–10%
4 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
5–10%
5 Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
5–10%
6 Daintree National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
7 Nitmiluk National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
8 Kosciuszko National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
9 Lamington National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
10 Ningaloo Marine Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
11 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
12 Wilsons Promontory National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
13 Royal National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
14 Springbrook National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
15 Flinders Ranges National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
16 Noosa National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
17 Booderee National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a White-necked Heron in Great Otway National Park?

About 8% of wildlife watchers report a White-necked Heron sighting in Great Otway National Park, based on 219 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see White-necked Heron in Great Otway National Park?

October has the highest sighting rate for White-necked Heron in Great Otway National Park in our monthly data.

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