Birds
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax · also called night heron
Waiting motionless at the water’s edge long after most other herons have gone to roost, a black-crowned night-heron does its hunting under cover of darkness, its bright red eyes suited to a life lived mostly after sunset.
Overview
The black-crowned night-heron, Nycticorax nycticorax, is a stocky, red-eyed heron native to wetland habitat found on nearly every continent except Antarctica and Australia. Its genuinely nocturnal feeding habits, compact build with a short neck, and status as one of the most widespread herons in the world make it one of the most globally successful and behaviourally distinct members of the entire heron family.
A heron built for the night shift
While most herons hunt by day, the black-crowned night-heron has carved out an almost entirely nocturnal niche, feeding after dark when competition from other wading birds is at its lowest.
Status
Least Concern, remaining widespread and stable across suitable wetland habitat on nearly every continent.
Black-crowned Night-Heron: common questions
Why does the black-crowned night-heron feed mainly at night?
This species does most of its feeding at night or during twilight hours, a strategy that may reduce competition with the many day-active herons and egrets that share its wetland habitat.
How widespread is the black-crowned night-heron?
This species has one of the widest distributions of any heron in the world, found on every continent except Antarctica and Australia, making it one of the most globally successful members of the entire heron family.
How can you identify a black-crowned night-heron?
This species can be identified by its stocky build, short neck, black cap and back contrasting with pale grey and white, and its bright red eyes, a combination unlike most other herons.
How does the black-crowned night-heron differ from the yellow-crowned night-heron?
The black-crowned night-heron has a solid black cap and back and shorter legs, while the closely related yellow-crowned night-heron shows a pale yellow crown patch, a boldly marked black-and-white face, and proportionally longer legs.