From Opus

Nycticorax caledonicus

Photo by Neil Fifer
Shot near Sydney, Australia

[edit] Identification

[edit] Distribution

Philippines and Sulu Archipelago, north and west Borneo and Sulawesi, Moluccas, New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago, Palau and Solomon Islands and New Caledonia. Also breeds over much of Australia except the arid interior.

[edit] Taxonomy

Five subspecies are recognised. Race manillensis (dark rufous above) occurs in the Philippines and northern Borneo, hilli is found in Sulawesi, the Moluccas, New Guinea and Australia, pelewensis (dull maroon above) in the Palau Islands, mandibularis (pale stripe over eye absent) in the Bismarck Archipelago and Solomons and caledonicus (dull rufous-chestnut above)in New Caledonia. Race crassirostris from the Bonin Islands became extinct in the 19th Century.

[edit] Habitat

Lakes, swamps and rivers, mangroves and flooded grasslands.

[edit] Behaviour

The diet includes small fish, reptiles, insects and sometimes eggs.

It builds a nest platform out of sticks. It nests communally, near water. 2-5 light green eggs are laid, with a 22-day incubation followed by a 42-49 day fledging period.

[edit] External Links

• View more images of this species on the ABID
• View more images of this species on Orientalbirdimages