White-faced HeronScientific name: Egretta novaehollandiae

Meaning of name: Egretta is Latin for egret. Novaehollandiae means that this bird is of New Holland.

Aboriginal name: Wyan (why’anne).

Distribution: Found throughout Australia except for the arid interior.

Description: This bird is up to 68cm long with a wingspan of 106cm.

Notes:The furthest distance recorded by the Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme for this species of bird to travel is 244km. The oldest bird recorded was recovered 4 years 8 months after being banded (information as at 13 June 2012).

References: Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Various contributors.
What Bird is That? Neville W Cayley. 1978

Aboriginal names of bird species in south-west Western Australia, with suggestions for their adoption into common usage. Ian Abbott. 2009. Conservation Science Western Australia Journal. Volume 7 No 2  http://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/about-us/science-and-research/76-publications-and-resources/103-conservation-science-wa-journal

Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/science/abbbs/abbbs-search.html