(References updated) |
(A clear juvenile picture. Some extra info. References updated) |
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==Identification== | ==Identification== | ||
| − | 64 cm<br /> | + | 64 cm (25 in)<br /> |
Short-necked, rather stout birds<br /> | Short-necked, rather stout birds<br /> | ||
'''Adult''' | '''Adult''' | ||
| Line 12: | Line 12: | ||
'''Young''' birds are brown, with white and gray flecks | '''Young''' birds are brown, with white and gray flecks | ||
==Distribution== | ==Distribution== | ||
| − | [[Image: | + | [[Image:KvakacJuv 8445.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|mikemik|mikemik}}<br />Hrase, [[Slovenia]], August 2015]] |
[[North America|North]], [[Central America|Central]], and [[South America]], [[Europe]], [[Africa]], and [[Asia]]. | [[North America|North]], [[Central America|Central]], and [[South America]], [[Europe]], [[Africa]], and [[Asia]]. | ||
====Americas==== | ====Americas==== | ||
| Line 41: | Line 41: | ||
Wooded swamps, well-vegetated margins of lakes and rivers. On passage and in winter sometimes in more open habitats, including brackish lagoons and estuaries. | Wooded swamps, well-vegetated margins of lakes and rivers. On passage and in winter sometimes in more open habitats, including brackish lagoons and estuaries. | ||
==Behaviour== | ==Behaviour== | ||
| − | Usually | + | Usually [[Dictionary_A-C#C|Crepuscular]]. |
| + | ====Diet==== | ||
| + | An opportunistic feeder, their very varied diet consists of fish, and shellfish, leeches, earthworms, insects, amphibians, reptiles, such as lizards and snakes, turtles, rodents, birds, and their eggs. They also eat plants, carrion and forage at landfill sites. | ||
====Breeding==== | ====Breeding==== | ||
It builds a platform of sticks placed in tree or cattails and nests colonially; more than a dozen nests may be in a single tree. Clutch usually consists of 3-5 greenish eggs. | It builds a platform of sticks placed in tree or cattails and nests colonially; more than a dozen nests may be in a single tree. Clutch usually consists of 3-5 greenish eggs. | ||
| Line 48: | Line 50: | ||
''[[Media:Nycticorax nycticorax (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]'' | ''[[Media:Nycticorax nycticorax (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]'' | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
| − | #{{Ref- | + | #{{Ref-Clements6thAug15}}#Alvaro Jaramillo. 2003. Birds of Chile. Princeton Field Guides. ISBN 0-691-11740-3 |
| + | #Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved August 2015) | ||
| + | #surfbirds | ||
| + | #All About Birds | ||
#Wikipedia | #Wikipedia | ||
| − | |||
{{ref}} | {{ref}} | ||
==External Links== | ==External Links== | ||
Revision as of 18:51, 14 August 2015
- Nycticorax nycticorax
Identification
64 cm (25 in)
Short-necked, rather stout birds
Adult
- Black crown and back
- Rest of body white or gray
- Red eyes
- Short yellow legs
Young birds are brown, with white and gray flecks
Distribution
North, Central, and South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Americas
Breeds in south-central and south-eastern Canada and over much of the USA except the mountains of the west. Also occurs in the West Indies and from Mexico south to Panama and over most of South America except the higher Andes and Amazonia. Also breeds in the Falkland Islands and Hawaii. Northern birds are migratory and winter in south-west and south-east USA.
Europe
Very patchy breeding range across southern Europe from Iberia to Greece and Turkey, and north to Russia. Isolated breeding population in the Netherlands.
Colony of full-winged, but artificially fed, birds of the nominate race breeds ferally in Norfolk, England and there is a small number of free-flying birds of the North American race based around Edinburgh Zoo, Scotland. Neither of these populations is thought to wander any distance and attempts are underway to reduce the number of free-flying birds in the Scottish population.
There are also colonies in Belgium which are the descendants of released birds. A summer visitor to all but the south-east of the region where resident, overshooting spring migrants regularly seen in Britain (>500 records), usually May-June, more rarely north to Iceland and the Faroes, Norway, Finland, and Estonia. Also recorded on the Azores, Madeira, and Cape Verde Islands.
Asia
In Asia breeds from the Caspian east to China and Japan and south to India and Sri Lanka, Malaya, Borneo and Sumatra.
Africa/Middle East
Widespread in sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Somalia and south to the Cape but breeding records are widely scattered. Also small numbers in North-West Africa, the Nile Delta and parts of the Middle East.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Four subspecies are recognised[1]:
- N. n. nycticorax (Eurasian):
- Eurasia south to Indonesia, Africa and Madagascar
- N. n. hoactli (American);
- Southern Canada to northern Argentina and Chile, and the West Indies (Greater Antilles)
- N. n. obscurus:
- Lowland northern Chile and north-central Argentina to Tierra del Fuego
- N. n. falklandicus (Falklands):
Habitat
Wooded swamps, well-vegetated margins of lakes and rivers. On passage and in winter sometimes in more open habitats, including brackish lagoons and estuaries.
Behaviour
Usually Crepuscular.
Diet
An opportunistic feeder, their very varied diet consists of fish, and shellfish, leeches, earthworms, insects, amphibians, reptiles, such as lizards and snakes, turtles, rodents, birds, and their eggs. They also eat plants, carrion and forage at landfill sites.
Breeding
It builds a platform of sticks placed in tree or cattails and nests colonially; more than a dozen nests may be in a single tree. Clutch usually consists of 3-5 greenish eggs.
Vocalisation
<flashmp3>Nycticorax nycticorax (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Alvaro Jaramillo. 2003. Birds of Chile. Princeton Field Guides. ISBN 0-691-11740-3
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved August 2015)
- surfbirds
- All About Birds
- Wikipedia
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Black-crowned Night Heron. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 15 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Black-crowned_Night_Heron
External Links
