Night Heron

Quick Take

• Juvenile night herons have a truly bizarre defense mechanism that most people would never expect from a bird. See the defense behavior →
• The night heron's scientific name has nothing to do with herons, and the reason why tells you something strange about how this bird behaves. Explore the scientific name →
• Night herons can be found on almost every continent, yet most people have never seen one, and there is a specific reason why this is the case. Discover their global range →
• Adult night herons have surprisingly few natural predators, but their eggs are a different story entirely. See egg predators →

Night herons can be seen walking on the shorelines of marshes and wetlands in search of fish, frogs, and insects to eat. This bird is recognized by its long, slender legs, piercing gaze, and distinctive crown of feathers. The territory of various types of night herons extends over six continents. Its call has been compared to the croaking sound made by a raven.

3 Night Heron Amazing Facts

• While adult night herons have few predators, their eggs are eaten by snakes and raccoons.
• It can reach a flying speed of 35 mph.
• Juvenile night herons are known to vomit their lunch when threatened.

Where to Find Night Heron

Where do you find night herons? The answer: Almost everywhere! Night herons are seen on six continents, including North America, South America, Asia, Europe, Africa, and Australia. They live in temperate and tropical climates. Their habitats include wetlands, marshes, and mangroves, where they can search in the water and on land for food.

Take one look at this bird’s name, and you know it’s most active during the night. So, if you want to see a night heron, it’s best to grab a flashlight before visiting a marsh or mangrove.

Spring through late summer is the breeding season of these birds. This is when they’re especially visible as they build nests in the trees or on the ground.

Nests

The male night heron searches for twigs and sticks on the ground. When he finds a sturdy stick or twig, he gives it to the female of the pair, who uses it to build the nest. The nest may be in a tree or on the ground in a sheltered area among a gathering of tall weeds.

The nest of a night heron measures from 12 to 18 inches in width and can be from eight to 12 inches tall. The structure has sticks and twigs of different sizes protruding at every angle. But there’s ample space to accommodate three to eight two-inch-long eggs.

Classification and Scientific Name

Nycticorax nycticorax is the scientific name of the black-crowned night heron. The Latin word nycticorax means night raven. Though the night heron is not related to the night raven, there are some reasons behind the scientific name. The night heron is active at night, and this bird’s call sounds similar to a raven’s call: “Croak, croak!”

It is classified in the Ardeidae family and in the Aves class.

The black-crowned night heron is one species of this bird. Others include:

• Yellow-crowned night heron or yellow-crested heron (Nyctanassa violacea)
• Nankeen night heron (Nycticorax caledonicus)

Appearance and Behavior

The various types of night herons differ a bit in appearance. The black-crowned night heron has white feathers on its breast along with grayish-black wings. It has a black crown or cap of feathers atop its head. Alternatively, a yellow-crowned night heron has gray feathers on its breast and wings. This bird has a stripe of white feathers near each eye and yellow feathers that stick up on its head. It’s sometimes called the yellow-crested night heron because its long crest of yellow feathers extends over the back of its head.

Juvenile black-crowned or black-capped night herons have brown feathers with some white spots mixed in. Their beaks are not yet deep black like an adult night heron’s beak.

An adult night heron has a long, pointed beak that it uses to grasp fish, insects, and other prey. It walks on its long, thin legs through the water and grasps tree branches with its four sharp claws.

This bird is 23 to 26 inches long and weighs 26 to 36 ounces. Its wingspan is 45 to 47 inches.

Along with using its long, pointed beak to find food, the night heron uses it to defend itself. Luckily, its habit of roosting high up in the treetops helps it avoid many predators.

Migration and Timing

While some types of night herons live in the same area year-round, others migrate to warmer places for the winter months. As an example, in September or October, the black-crowned night herons living in Massachusetts fly south down the coastline to Florida. Black-crowned night herons living in Alberta, Canada, fly south to spend the winter in Mexico. Some of these birds have a migration route running beside the Mississippi River system.

Diet

All types of night herons, including black-crowned and yellow-crested varieties, are carnivores. They hunt at night by standing perfectly still in or near the water until a fish swims close by — within seconds, the bird grabs it and swallows it whole.

What does a night heron eat?

Frogs, fish, and insects are all prey of night herons.

Predators and Threats

What eats night herons?

Adult night herons spend time high up in the trees, which makes them less vulnerable to predators. However, they do have some predators, including owls and foxes.

Hatchling and juvenile night herons are more likely to be preyed upon by foxes and owls because they are smaller and not as strong as adult birds. Furthermore, raccoons and snakes have been known to steal night heron eggs out of a nest to eat them.

Habitat destruction is another threat to adult night herons. Drainage of wetlands has affected the population of this bird, which has also been impacted by pesticides in the insects they eat.

Steps have been taken to help night herons, including setting up protected areas where they can breed. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species categorizes most night heron species as Least Concern, but with decreasing numbers.

Reproduction, Babies, and Lifespan

Night herons are monogamous, and both parents incubate the eggs. Female night herons lay three to eight eggs in late spring or early summer. After 21 or 22 days, the eggs hatch. The chicks leave the nest at just two weeks of age. The chicks grow quickly into juvenile birds. They remain in the nesting area until they can live independently at six to seven weeks old. These birds are sexually mature at the age of two or three years.

The lifespan of a night heron is 10 to 15 years.

Population

The worldwide population of the night heron is 570,000 to 3,730,000 birds. Though their numbers are reportedly decreasing, most night herons are of Least Concern to conservationists.