About the Black-crowned Night Heron
The black-crowned night heron or black-capped night heron, commonly shortened to just night heron in Eurasia, is a medium-sized heron found throughout a large part of the world, including parts of Europe, Asia, and North and South America. In Australasia it is replaced by the closely related Nankeen night heron, with which it has hybridised in the area of contact.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
Adults have a black crown and back with the remainder of the body white or grey, red eyes, and short yellow legs. They have pale grey wings and white under parts. One to eight (mostly two to four) long slender white plumes, erected in greeting and courtship displays, extend from the back of the head. The sexes are similar in appearance although the males are slightly larger. Black-crowned night herons do not fit the typical body form of the heron family. They are relatively stocky with shorter bills, legs, and necks than their more familiar cousins, the egrets and "day" herons.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the Black-crowned Night Heron sounds like
Where the Black-crowned Night Heron lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Finland, Luxembourg, Australia, Eritrea, Mayotte, Turkmenistan, Faroe Islands, Isle of Man, Jersey, Lithuania.
When to see the Black-crowned Night Heron
Peak activity in May · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
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