Rare Beauty Nankeen Night Heron in New Zealand - Paul Gibson
Found resident only along the Whanganui River, in very small numbers, the Nankeen Night Heron are found nowhere else in New Zealand, apart from an occasional vagrant here and there. They are an Australian bird, that around 30 years ago, self-introduced into New Zealand. It is little known, mostly due to their restricted range, and their nocturnal habits. Along with my birding colleagues, I have made 100s of visits in attempts to find one out in the daylight - and often we were successful. In 2023 things completely changed, with the birds nesting at Upokongaro, raising chicks, and showing themselves so much more in the daylight.
Found resident only along the Whanganui River, in very small numbers, the Nankeen Night Heron are found nowhere else in New Zealand, apart from an occasional vagrant here and there. They are an Australian bird, that around 30 years ago, self-introduced into New Zealand. It is little known, mostly due to their restricted range, and their nocturnal habits. Along with my birding colleagues, I have made 100s of visits in attempts to find one out in the daylight - and often we were successful. In 2023 things completely changed, with the birds nesting at Upokongaro, raising chicks, and showing themselves so much more in the daylight.
Found resident only along the Whanganui River, in very small numbers, the Nankeen Night Heron are found nowhere else in New Zealand, apart from an occasional vagrant here and there. They are an Australian bird, that around 30 years ago, self-introduced into New Zealand. It is little known, mostly due to their restricted range, and their nocturnal habits. Along with my birding colleagues, I have made 100s of visits in attempts to find one out in the daylight - and often we were successful. In 2023 things completely changed, with the birds nesting at Upokongaro, raising chicks, and showing themselves so much more in the daylight.