White-faced Heron

Matuku moana is a slim blue-grey heron with a white face, now one of New Zealand’s most familiar wetland birds. Adults have a pale face and throat, blue-grey body, long grey bill and yellowish legs; reef heron is darker slate-grey and closely tied to rocky shores.

It occurs throughout both main islands and many offshore islands from city parks to estuaries and farm drains. Birds stalk fish, crabs, worms and insects in shallow water or pasture and build stick nests in trees.

White-faced heron is Not Threatened (NZ Threat Classification). Vehicles, fishing line and wetland loss cause local mortality. Almost any estuary, tidal flat, wet pasture or urban pond can produce sightings.