Black-crowned Night-Heron


	Black-crowned Night-Heron
	Nycticorax nycticorax

With a range that spans five continents, including much of North America, the Black-crowned Night-Heron is the most widespread heron in the world. It is most active at dusk and at night, feeding in the same areas that other heron species frequent during the day.

Interesting Information

Young Black-crowned Night-Herons often disgorge their stomach contents when disturbed. This habit makes it easy to study its diet.
The Black-crowned Night-Heron may nest in the same tree with ibises or other herons.
Adult Black-crowned Night-Herons apparently do not distinguish between their own young and those from other nests, and will brood chicks not their own.

Description

Adult Description

Size: 58-66 cm (23-26 in)
Wingspan: 115-118 cm (45-46 in)
Weight: 727-1014 g (25.66-35.79 ounces)
Medium-sized, stocky heron.
Short neck and thick black bill.
Black cap and back.
Wings gray.
Underparts white.
Long, thin, white plumes coming out of rear of cap.
Relatively short, yellowish green or pink legs.
Eyes red.

Sex Differences

Sexes similar; female slightly smaller.

Immature

Brown with white spots on the wings and broad, indistinct streaks on the underparts. Bill mostly yellow.

Photo taken from: The Sibley Field Guide by David Allen Sibley

Habitat

Various wetland habitats, including salt, brackish, and freshwater marshes, swamps, streams, lakes, and agricultural fields.

Behavior

Grasps prey; does not stab with bill.

Food

Aquatic invertebrates, fish, amphibians, lizards, snakes, rodents, eggs, and other foods.

Taxonomy

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Pelecaniformes
Family:	Ardeidae
Subfamily:	Ardeinae
Genus:	Nycticorax
Species:	Nycticorax nycticorax
Subspecies:	Nycticorax nycticorax falklandicus
	Nycticorax nycticorax hoactli
	Nycticorax nycticorax nycticorax
	Nycticorax nycticorax obscurus

Similar Species

Juvenile and first-winter Yellow-crowned Night-Heron have an all-black bill, smaller wing spots, and longer legs.
American Bittern also bears brown streaks, but lacks white spots on the wings.

Bird Sound

Call a loud, harsh squawk.

Eggs look like this

Photo taken from: ARCTOS Collaborative Collection Management Solution

Videos

Black-crowned Night-Heron

Juvenile

	Sources Used To Construct This Page
	Davis, W. E., Jr. 1993. Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax). In The Birds of North America, No. 74 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.

	All photos and videos © Rick Swartzentrover - Free for non-profit use.