Black-crowned Night Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
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About
The Black-crowned Night Heron is a stocky, medium-sized heron with a distinctive black crown and back, grey wings, and white underparts, found on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. It inhabits a wide range of wetlands including marshes, swamps, rivers, and coastal areas, feeding nocturnally on fish, frogs, invertebrates, and small mammals. It nests colonially in trees or shrubs near water.
Physical Description
| Measurement | Value | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Wingspan | 57.1 cm | 22.5 in |
| Weight | 779.425 g | 27.49 oz |
Habitat & Range
Conservation Status
Behavior & Breeding
Nesting
Nest type: PL. Incubation: 21-26 days. Fledging: 40-50 days.
Clutch Size
1-8
Taxonomy
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Pelecaniformes (Pelicans & Herons) |
| Family | Ardeidae (Herons & Egrets) |
| Genus | Nycticorax |
| Species | Nycticorax nycticorax |
Distribution
Black-crowned Night Heron has been recorded in 13 countries.
{# Distribution Map — simplified SVG world map with highlighted countries. Expects `country_codes` variable: list of ISO alpha-2 codes (e.g. ["US", "CA", "MX"]). Uses Alpine.js to toggle classes on country paths. #}countries highlighted
External Databases
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Black-crowned Night Heron endangered?
How does the Black-crowned Night Heron nest?
How big is the Black-crowned Night Heron?
What order and family does the Black-crowned Night Heron belong to?
Similar Birds
Other species in the Ardeidae family