The night heron, also known as Nycticorax nycticorax in scientific terms, is a type of bird that falls under the heron family.
The black-crowned night heron is a type of heron species that has a relatively short neck when compared to other herons. It also has a strong, short bill and shorter legs compared to other similar birds. Males that are breeding adults have a black crown with a hint of greenish-blue and their back shares the same coloring. Their wings are gray, while their belly and flanks are white. During the spring, long, thin white plumes grow from behind their heads, usually numbering between 2 to 4. These birds have black bills and yellow or slightly pink legs, with long toes. Females have a similar coloration. Juvenile birds have dark brown feathers with streaks, while nestlings are covered in white down feathers.
The black-crowned night heron can be easily spotted in many countries around the world, including North America, Africa, Southern and Central Europe, and Asia. Interestingly, the European species of black-crowned night herons migrate to Africa during winters. However, it’s worth noting that there are no indigenous black-crowned night herons in Australia. On the other hand, Russia houses a considerable population of these birds that prefer nesting in the lowlands along the Volga River.
The black-crowned night heron is most active in the early morning and evening, spending much of the daytime perched on branches. However, they do become active during the day when building their nests. These nests are typically found near densely vegetated bodies of water at the edges or within forested areas.
The black-crowned night heron mainly consumes fish, frogs and other aquatic insects.
The bird’s call is quite distinct and can be described as a loud, deep “kuak” sound that is commonly heard during summer evenings. In times of danger, the bird will make a cat-like “meow” sound in a more urgent tone.
Black-crowned night herons prefer to nest in large groups with other heron species, sometimes numbering in the thousands. They typically choose trees or dense shrubbery as their nesting location, but may also build their nests on reed beds if they are far from human habitats. The nests are made of small branches and females usually lay 3-4 eggs. After an incubation period of about three weeks, the chicks hatch. The parents take turns feeding them, regurgitating partially digested food into their mouths. As the chicks grow, they continue to receive regular meals.
