Nycticorax nycticorax
The Black-crowned Night Heron, *Nycticorax nycticorax*, is a widespread and distinctive medium-sized heron, typically measuring 58-70 cm (23-28 in) in length with a wingspan of 99-112 cm (39-44 in) and weighing 700-1000g. Adults are easily identified by their stocky build, short neck, jet-black crown and back contrasting sharply with slate-grey wings and crisp white underparts. A striking feature is their piercing red eyes, which stand out against their dark plumage, complemented by short, th...
This highly adaptable wading bird inhabits a wide range of aquatic environments, including freshwater and saltwater marshes, swamps, mangroves, lakes, rivers, and ponds, often near human settlements. It typically occurs at low to moderate elevations, though occasionally found higher in mountainou...
An opportunistic predator, its diet primarily consists of small fish, amphibians, crustaceans, and aquatic insects, supplemented by rodents, lizards, small birds, and eggs, typically captured by a stand-and-wait or slow-stalking method.
The Black-crowned Night Heron is primarily crepuscular and nocturnal, spending its days roosting communally in trees, dense shrubs, or reed beds, often in mixed-species colonies. It employs a patient stand-and-wait foraging strategy, often perching motionless at the water's edge, waiting for prey...
The Black-crowned Night Heron boasts an exceptionally wide global distribution, breeding across vast areas of the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa. In the Americas, its breeding range extends from southern Canada through the United States, Mexico, Central America, and throughout much of South A...
Least Concern
- They are primarily nocturnal, using their excellent night vision to hunt after dusk, hence their name. - Their striking red eyes are a prominent feature, especially in adults, contrasting sharply with their dark plumage. - Juvenile Black-crowned Night Herons look dramatically different from adu...