Animals

Breeding season: October to April, varies depending on rainfall. They pair for life. The female selects the nest site, but both sexes care for the eggs and the young. The male gathers most of the nesting material. The female constructs the loose dome-shaped nest.

Breeding season: July to November in the south. Clutch size is two to four. Often nests in colonies with other water birds, such as Ibises and Royal Spoonbills. Nest is a shallow, unlined platform of sticks, rushes and reeds, positioned in high forks of trees over water or in among reed beds. Males collect nest materials. Females build the nest. Both sexes incubate the eggs and care for the young.

Viviparous (live young).

Breeding season: spring and summer in temporary pools. Males call from within flooded grasslands any time of the year, except winter.

Breeding season: August to December. Clutch size is two to three. Nest is cup-shaped. The female incubates the eggs. Both sexes feed the young, often with the aid of other birds.

Viviparous (live young).

Oviparous (egg laying) with a clutch size of 3-9 (average six).

Ground dwelling hunters. Males are attracted by scent markings left by the female. The female carries her egg sac underneath her abdomen until the spiderlings hatch. May live for up to two years.

If conditions are favorable will breed throughout the year, but generally between August and December. The nest is a small cup of grass bound with spider's web placed on a horizontal branch 1-15 m high. Clutch size is between 2 and 4 and when seasons are favorable up to 4 clutches are raised. Eggs are incubated for 14-15 days by both parents. Young stay until the next clutch hatches and are then driven away. The nest is defended aggressively.

Roosts under peeling bark and in tree hollows. Females form colonies of approximately 20 while males roost alone or in small groups. Hibernation occurs over winter. One or two young are born in October-November. They forage below the canopy amongst vegetation.