A Nocturnal Hunter
The Black-crowned Night Heron is one of the few nocturnal aquatic birds. Instead of heading for the roost at dusk, it starts foraging for its next meal. They are a noisy bird, but when in hunting mode, they stand quietly and wait for their prey to wander into striking distance. They dine on frogs, fish and other small invertebrates. They have also been known to plunder the nests of other herons, terns and gulls making a meal of whatever chicks and eggs it can find.
Description
The Black-crowned Night Heron is a stocky bird. They are 2 feet tall with the bulk of their height in their bodies rather than their legs. As their name implies, they have a black crown and back. The rest of their body is covered with white or gray plumage. The bill, neck, and legs are shorter than is commonly seen on other herons and egrets. Their eyes are a distinctive red and their legs are reddish pink during breeding season and yellow during the off season.

Immature Black-crowned Night Herons have a dull gray plumage on their heads, wings and backs with pale streaked plumage on their chest and belly. Their eyes are orange rather than the distinctive red and their legs are a yellowish-green.
Range and Habitat
The Black-crowned Night Heron inhabits fresh and salt-water wetlands throughout the world. They can be found on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. The birds residing in cooler climes are migratory but those in
tropical climates are permanent residents. The wetland habitats favored by the Black-crowned Night Heron includes riparian forests, weeded swamps, grasslands and marshes. During breeding season they form large colonies and nest in protected locations such as reed beds and tall grasses along the water's edge.
Mating and Nesting
The Black-crowned Night Heron nests in colonies. The males begin their courtship by bowing to their potential mate. Along with the bowing, they rock from foot to foot, hiss, clap their bills, and stretch. Once a pair is formed, they spend time preening each other and using their bill to massage their mate's back, neck, and head.
The pair work together to build their nest. It's a flimsy structure of sticks, reeds, and twigs. It's usually placed 15 to 30 feet off the ground, just below the canopy. That way they have a better chance of spotting approaching predators.
The female will lay 3 to 5 pale blue eggs. The clutch is incubated for 24 to 26 days will both parents sharing the responsibility. The newly hatched young are fed by regurgitation. As they grow regurgitation is replace with smaller whole prey.
Around 3 weeks after hatching, the young are climbing out of the nest and exploring the nearby branches. They are a noisy brood and with other nests nearby, they can create quite a racket.
The young fledge around 6 weeks of age, but do not acquire their adult plumage for another year, and may not breed for another year or two after that.
Raising the young is often a community effort.
Nesting in large flocks, adults will often loose track of their nest. Rather than panic, they brood whatever chicks they come across.
Diet
The Black-crowned Night Heron feeds on aquatic invertebrates such as fish, lizards, frogs, and snakes. They will stand quietly, still as stone, and wait for its prey to move into range. They are
opportunistic feeders and if there are nests of terns and gulls nearby, they will make a meal of the chicks. When in thegrasslands they stalk rodents such as voles and mice.

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Photographic Print">Yellow-Crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa Violacea), J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge
Photographic Print
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The Black-crowned Night Heron would drive a strict schoolmarm crazy. When at rest its shoulders are hunched forward as if trying to disguise its height.

Smooth Flight
The Nikon Monarch Binoculars
The Nikon Monarch Binoculars
The waterproof, fog-free Nikon binoculars are perfect for outdoor use. Bright, beautifully defined images are delivered by superior quality, multilayer coated lense.O-ring seals and nitrogen gas provide added resistance to the effects of changes in climate, while the durable design and rubber armoring ensure reliable performance and a comfortable grip, even during prolonged use. Worry-free viewing of the great outdoors.
Shorebirds of North America, Europe, and Asia
Shorebirds of North America, Europe, and Asia: A Guide to Field Identification (Princeton Field Guides)
Amazon Price: $25.55 (as of 12/24/2009)![]()
Shorebirds of North America, Europe, and Asia is divided into two sections for easy use. The first section shows the shorebirds in standard poses and the second shows them in flight. I prefer this field guide to the others because shorebirds rarely stay still long enough to identify them. With flight illustrations I have a better chance at identifying them.
Waterfowl: An Identification Guide
Waterfowl: An Identification Guide to the Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World
Amazon Price: (as of 12/24/2009)![]()
An Amazon Review
Waterfowl: An Identification Guide to the Ducks, Geese and Swans of the World" is a wonderful guide for waterfowl identification, with beautiful colored plates of all 155 species of ducks, geese, and swans. A really nice book for everyone who likes wild waterfowl. The only thing I miss are the screamers which are also a part of the anseriformes (waterfowl).
Some of My Favorite Waders

Waders Sandhill Cranes
Sanderlings
Great Blue Heron
And More Waders
Black-crowned Night Heron
Cattle Egret
Double-crested Cormorant
What is your favorite bird and when did you last see it?
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Reply
- tdove tdove Jan 29, 2009 @ 5:20 pm
- Thanks for joining G Rated Lense Factory!
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Reply
- naturegirl7 naturegirl7 Oct 25, 2008 @ 7:42 pm
- Welcome to the Naturally Native Squids group. Don't forget to add your lens links to the appropriate plexos and vote for them.
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Reply
- JaguarJulie JaguarJulie Oct 24, 2008 @ 10:28 am
- That is another really attractive bird! Love the deep bluish-gray color that I see on one of them. You make your bird lenses with such a loving hand!
About the Author
Lensmaster ElizabethJeanAllen has been a member since March 16 2008, has rated 4,015 lenses, favorited 445, and has created 200 lenses from scratch. Lizzy Jean donates their royalties to Squidoo Charity Fund. This member's top-ranked page is "2009 Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments". See all my lenses
Peterson's Field Guide to Birds
Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America (Peterson Field Guide Series)
Amazon Price: $16.38 (as of 12/24/2009)![]()
An absolute must have for anyone who loves watching the birds.
Resources used to construct this page.
Peterson, T.P. & Peterson, V.M. 2002. Birds of Eastern and Central North America, Fifth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, N.Y.
Bird Guide: Black-crowned Night Heron, Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology
Fact Sheet: Black-crowned Night Heron
Smithsonian National Zoological Park
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I tell my students to Learn from the Past, Live in the Present, and Plan for the Future. With Squidoo I can do all three.By TwitterButtons.com
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