White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae

Small gray heron with a white face and yellowish legs. Common around wetlands, parks, and gardens. Often solitary. When disturbed it makes a grunting cough noise as it flies away. Young birds lack the white face so beware confusion with all-grey Pacific Reef-Heron, which has chunkier legs and more uniformly dark gray belly; found along rocky coast.