Photo: nomis-simon / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-crowned Night Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) — Herons, Pelicans & Ibises of Worldwide.
Found across 19 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) is a member of the Ardeidae family found in Africa, Central America & Caribbean and Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 810 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Pelecaniformes
- Family Ardeidae Herons, Bitterns
- Genus Nycticorax
- Species nycticorax
Where it lives
Worldwide except AU
Quick facts
- Weight
- 810 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Ardeidae
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-crowned Night Heron hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Black-crowned Night Heron is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) is a species of bird in the Ardeidae family, part of the order Pelecaniformes. It occurs naturally across Africa, Central America & Caribbean and Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers Worldwide except AU.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 810 g, with a wing length of about 28.6 cm and a tail of around 9.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 50.3 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-crowned Night Heron?
The Black-crowned Night Heron is a large bird that weighs around 810 g.
Where does the Black-crowned Night Heron live?
The Black-crowned Night Heron is found across Africa, Central America & Caribbean and Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering Worldwide except AU, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Black-crowned Night Heron belong to?
The Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) belongs to the Ardeidae family, in the order Pelecaniformes.
What does the Black-crowned Night Heron eat?
The Black-crowned Night Heron hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Black-crowned Night Heron migrate?
The Black-crowned Night Heron is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Black-crowned Night Heron endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Black-crowned Night Heron make?
1 real field recording of the Black-crowned Night Heron — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black-crowned Night Heron's range?
The Black-crowned Night Heron has a mapped global range of about 50.3 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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