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PELICANS, HERONS, IBIS AND SPOONBILLS |
Families Pelecanidae, Ardeidae and ThreskiornithidaeThe Australian Pelican is the only member of this family in Australia. They generally are often observed swimming in groups in areas of deeper water searching for fish.
Herons and egrets are members of the Family Ardeidae, and are long-legged waders, stalking their prey in the shallows, or for some species like the Cattle Egret, seeking insects and small invertebrates in long grass. The White-faced Heron is the only member of this family regularly recorded in the Garden Bird Survey, but there are occasional sightings of other members, including: Whit-necked Heron (16 records), Cattle Egret (10), Great Egret (6), Nankeen Night Heron (2) Intermediate Egret (1) and Little Egret (1). Ibis and Spoonbills are members of the Family Threskiornithidae. Large flocks of Ibis are sometimes observed probing for food on some of the large playing fields dotted around Canberra, particularly after wet weather, of after the fields have been irrigated. The Yellow Spoonbill (5 records) and the Royal Spoonbill (5) are rarely seen away from the shallows of freshwater bodies, where they feed in a unique way, using their bills to catch fish, small crustaceans and other aquatic invertebrates.
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