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White-faced Heron
Matuku Moana
The White-faced Heron, also known as Matuku Moana, is an elegant hunter that patrols the edges of streams, ponds and wetlands in search of fish, insects and small aquatic animals.
Patient and deliberate, it can stand motionless for long periods before striking with remarkable speed when prey comes within reach.
It is an important indicator of healthy freshwater habitats and is a regular sight in and around the estuary, waterways and wetlands of Waikawa Beach.
White-faced Heron at the edge of a pond
White-faced Heron keeping watch from the treetops
Photos kindly provided by Kezna Cameron
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