Black-crowned Night Heron
(Nycticorax nycticorax)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
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| IUCN Red List | LC - Least Concern |
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| NatureServe | N5B, N5N - Secure Breeding and Nonbreeding SNRB - Unranked Breeding |
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| Minnesota | Species in Greatest Conservation Need |
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Description |
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Black-crowned Night Heron is a medium-sized heron. Adults are 22¾″ to 26″ (58 to 66 mm) in length and have a wingspan of 45¼″ to 46½″ (115 to 118 mm). Males are slightly larger than females. Compared to other herons, they are stocky and the neck and legs are short. The top of the head and the back are black. The neck, wings, rump, and tail are gray. The “cheeks”, chin, and front of the neck are white. The underparts are white to pale gray. The bill is black and stout. There is a white stripe above the bill between the eyes. The eyes are large and red. The legs are dull yellow. In breeding season, two white plumes extend down from the crown. |
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Size |
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Total Length: 22¾″ to 26″ (58 to 66 mm) Wingspan: 45¼″ to 46½″ (115 to 118 mm) |
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Voice |
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Similar Species |
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Habitat |
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Breeding: Large wetlands Migration: Lake shores, slow rivers, cattail marshes, swamps |
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Biology |
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Migration |
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April to May and September to November |
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Nesting |
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It nests in colonies, often with Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons. |
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Food |
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Mostly small fish but also amphibians, reptiles, aquatic invertebrates, small birds and mammals, carrion, and garbage at landfills. |
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Distribution |
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Occurrence |
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Common but erratic migrant, rare and local breeder |
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Map |
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The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map |
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Taxonomy |
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| Class | Aves (birds) | ||
Order |
Pelecaniformes (pelicans, herons, ibises, and allies) | ||
Family |
Ardeidae (bitterns, egrets, herons) | ||
Subfamily |
Ardeinae | ||
Genus |
Nycticorax (night herons) | ||
Bitterns, egrets, and herons (family Ardeidae) were formerly classified under the order Ciconiiformes. Based on a phylogenomic study published in 2008, the family was transferred to the order Pelecaniformes. |
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Subordinate Taxa |
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American Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax hoactli) Dusky Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax obscurus) Eurasian Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax nycticorax) Falklands Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax falklandicus) |
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Synonyms |
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Visitor Photos |
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James Folden |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Slideshows |
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Visitor Videos |
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Avi Birds |
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| Black-Crowned Night Heron [Nycticorax Nycticorax] Dec 8, 2020 |
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About
In this video, we learn about the black-crowned night heron, commonly referred to as the night heron. |
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Other Videos |
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| Black Crowned Night Herons - Nycticorax nycticorax Ron Jackson |
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About
Oct 13, 2011 REGUA Brazil, September 2011. Juvenile bird followed by adults. A couple of Snowy Egrets as well. |
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| Black-Crowned Night Heron Dallas, Texas Nycticorax nycticorax refidnasb1 |
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About
Apr 22, 2013 Black Crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax in Dallas County Texas April 21, 2013. This particular Black-Crowned Night Heron is in the midst of preparing a nesting site to lay eggs during breeding season. The birds in this area feed in shallow drying pools along the Trinity River where floodwaters have left numerous bait fish and aquatic food for the birds to eat. The black-crowned night-heron breeds on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. They are one of the more common herons in the United States, breeding everywhere except the southwest and Rocky Mountain states. They are found in many types of wetland habitats including riparian forests, wooded swamps, marshes, mangroves, and even occasionally grasslands or rice fields. |
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| Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) Observatório Natural |
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About
Dec 4, 2018 Phylum: Chordata Recorded by: Leandro Tacioli |
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| Black-crowned Night Heron: Dude ... and Predator--NARRATED Jo Alwood |
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About
Jul 17, 2014 In close footage, you'll see a heron catch a mouse and a couple of fish. You can see all my movies on my YouTube channel: Jo Alwood. Click "Subscribe" to be notified of new movies. |
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| Tagging Black-Crowned Night Herons Smithsonian's National Zoo |
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About
Jul 18, 2014 Every spring and summer the Bird House hosts some very special migratory guests -- about 100 black crowned night herons. The Bird House is their only rookery in Washington, D.C. |
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Visitor Sightings |
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| James Folden 7/8/2018 |
Location: Nicollet County, over Swan Lake |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
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Created: 1/9/2021
Last Updated: