Black-crowned Night-heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

With piercing red eyes and a knack for nocturnal fishing, this stocky heron brings a sense of mystery to wetlands worldwide.

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Visual Identification

Appearance

The Black-crowned Night-heron boasts a striking contrast of colours. Adults have a black crown and back, grey wings, and white underparts. Their eyes are a vivid red, complemented by a stout black bill and distinctive yellow legs.

Juveniles differ significantly, displaying brown plumage streaked with white. During the breeding season, adults develop long white plumes extending from the back of the head, adding to their elegant appearance.

Males are females are alike in appearance, with females being slightly smaller.

Size

Length

58cm to 65cm

Wingspan

110cm to 120cm

Weight

727g to 1.014kg

Colours

Males and females have similar plumage

Primary Colour

Black Grey White

Secondary Colour

Green

Beak Colour

Black

Leg Colour

Yellow

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Black-crowned Night-heron is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Black-crowned Night-heron is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Black-crowned Night-heron can be found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Black-crowned Night-heron can be found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Black-crowned Night-heron can be found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Black-crowned Night-heron is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Black-crowned Night-heron is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Black-crowned Night-heron is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Black-crowned Night-heron is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Black-crowned Night-heron is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Black-crowned Night-heron is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Black-crowned Night-heron is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Black-crowned Night-herons inhabit a wide range of wetland habitats, including freshwater and saltwater marshes, mangrove swamps, and the edges of lakes and ponds. They are found on every continent except Antarctica and Australia.

In North America, they breed across much of the United States and southern Canada, with year-round populations in coastal areas. European populations are more scattered, with a notable presence in wetlands across the continent, including parts of the UK.

Elevation Range

Up to 4,800 meters

Climate zones

Temperate, Subtropical, Tropical

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Black-crowned Night-heron. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons