Photo: Patrick Gijsbers / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Nyctanassa violacea
Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) — Herons, Pelicans & Ibises of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) is a member of the Ardeidae family found in Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Adults weigh 682 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 Nyctanassa
- Species violacea
Where it lives
Eastern USA to Peru and eastern Brazil
Quick facts
- Weight
- 682 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Ardeidae
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Yellow-crowned Night Heron hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of coastal habitats, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Yellow-crowned Night Heron is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) is a member of the Ardeidae family, within the order Pelecaniformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Its distribution covers NA, MA, SA e USA to Peru and e Brazil.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 682 g, with a wing length of about 28.4 cm and a tail of around 11.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 4.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Yellow-crowned Night Heron?
The Yellow-crowned Night Heron is a large bird that weighs around 682 g.
Where does the Yellow-crowned Night Heron live?
The Yellow-crowned Night Heron is found across Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America with a range covering NA, MA, SA e USA to Peru and e Brazil, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Yellow-crowned Night Heron belong to?
The Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) belongs to the Ardeidae family, in the order Pelecaniformes.
What does the Yellow-crowned Night Heron eat?
The Yellow-crowned Night Heron hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Yellow-crowned Night Heron migrate?
The Yellow-crowned Night Heron is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Yellow-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 Yellow-crowned Night Heron make?
1 real field recording of the Yellow-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 Yellow-crowned Night Heron's range?
The Yellow-crowned Night Heron has a mapped global range of about 4.2 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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