Black-crowned Night-Heron - Photos by Bruce Dayton - Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

ORDER: Ciconiiformes
FAMILY: Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets, Bitterns - 12 Species)
SPECIES: Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

Black-crowned Night-Heron
The Black-crowned Night-Heron is a nocturnal (Starts feeding at dusk) bird. During courtship the male performs an elaborate display, for the female, such as flapping its wings and dancing.
SIZE	Medium-sized (21-25”) stocky, thick-necked and short-legged heron.
DESCRIPTION	The adult has a black crown and back with a white body and gray wings. Sexes are similar in appearance but the female is slightly smaller.
NESTING	Clutch size ranges from 3-5 eggs, which are incubated in 24 to 26 days. These herons generally nest in small colonies, building a nest at the base of a tree or in forked branches. They build a platform nest of twigs, sticks, reeds, roots lined with grass.
RANGE	It is found across most of North America and southern Canada.
HABITAT	They habitat marshlands, swamps and wooded streams.
DIET	It is a slow hunter, which mainly feeds on fish and frogs. It waits patiently for a fish or frog to come along. Even small rodents are not safe from these birds.

INTERESTING FACTS

Wading Bird (Wader) (Shorebird)

A wading bird is a long-legged bird, such as an Ibis, Egret, Heron, Spoonbill, Crane and Stork. They are sometimes called a shorebird or wader. They frequent shallow water, especially in search of food. There are more than 200 species of wading birds throughout the world. The majority of species eat small invertebrates picked out of mud or exposed soil. Different lengths of bills enable different species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food.

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The images on this web page are copyrighted © 2003 - 2007 by Bruce Dayton. I want to share my photos to promote conservation and to help people identify and learn about the birds and other creatures that live with us on the North American continent. Please do not use any of my work in any non-profit or for-profit project without first getting written permission from me. You can ask for permission by emailing me at webmaster@wildlifeofnorthamerica.info. All reproductions must bear an appropriate credit.




Black-crowned Night-Heron - Immature

Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge Seneca County, New York


BcNH_049L_036082	BcNH_049L_036097




Black-crowned Night-Heron Drawing by Louis Agassiz Fuertes