Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

The Black-crowned is the Night Heron most likely to be seen in South Dakota. Less solitary than the Yellow-crowned Night Heron (a rare visitor to the state), they are sometimes seen in large groups during the day, sitting motionless in trees, thickets, or wetland vegetation. Black-crowned Night Herons are also more nocturnal of the two species, feeding primarily at night. They are among the most widely distributed birds in the world, found not only in North America, but also in South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Habitat

Wide variety of fresh and salt-water habitats. The common characteristic of habit chosen by Black-crowned Night-herons is 1) aquatic habitat for foraging, and 2) vegetation for roosting and nesting. In North America, they could be found anywhere from coastal salt-water marshes with scattered trees, to mangrove swamps, to freshwater wetlands with scattered shrubs and trees.

Diet

Omnivorous, feeding on fish, crustaceans, insects, amphibians, small rodents, small reptiles, small birds, and occasionally plant material.

Behavior

Forages in shallow water, either standing still and waiting for prey to come within range, or walking slowly in search of food. Will forage at any time of day, but is typically most active from dusk through dawn. They are a gregarious species, particularly during the breeding season, but also sometimes in migration and winter months.

Nesting

June and July. Black-crowned Night-Herons breed in colonies, sometimes single species colonies, but often in mixed colonies with other wading bird species. The nest is a platform of sticks, most often placed in trees and shrubs, but sometimes on the ground. The female usually lays 3 or 4 eggs, and both parents help to incubate them. When the eggs hatch, both parents help to feed the young. The young fledge after about 6 weeks. Black-crowned Night-herons don't differentiate between young in nesting colonies, and have been known to "adopt" and raise young not originally their own.

Interactive eBird Map

Click to access an interactive eBird map of Black-crowned Night-heron sightings

Song

While often silent, Black-crowned Night herons are capable of a variety of harsh clucks and squawking calls, given as disturbance calls, during courtship, or while tending to young in the nest.

¹Click here to hear the squawking call of a Black-crowned Night-heron in flight

²Click here to hear begging calls of young and other vocalizations around a nest site

³Click here to hear the quarreling scolds between two Black-crowned Night herons

Migration

Summers throughout much of the U.S. and southern Canada. Winters along U.S. coasts, Mexico, and Central America.

Similar Species

If seen well, the Black-crowned Night Heron is has a relatively distinctive appearance. However they could be confused with other small, stocky heron species.

Yellow-crowned Night-heron - The closest relative in North America, the Yellow-crowned Night-heron is but a rare visitor to South Dakota, but there have been multiple sightings in recent years. They share the same overall structure and size, but plumage differences are evident. The Yellow-crowned Night-heron has a more complex facial pattern, with a white crown, black face, and a white streak below and behind the eye. In contrast, the Black-crowned Night-heron has a more simple pattern, with a dark crown and a white face. The underparts of a Yellow-crowned Night-heron are a dusky gray, while they are white on a Black-crowned Night-heron. The back of a Yellow-crowned Night Heron is dark gray with mottled black markings, while the back of a Black-crowned Night-heron is a more uniform grayish black.
Green Heron - Green Herons are the other "stocky" small heron species most likely to overlap with Black-crowned Night-herons in South Dakota. Structure is somewhat similar, but plumages are very different, as Green Herons are rusty-colored on their breast and underparts, compared to the white on a Black-crowned Night-heron.

Conservation Status

One of the most widespread birds in the world, Black-crowned Night-herons are found in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America, as well as North America. While there are undoubtedly local declines in parts of their range, overall they are common in parts of their range and have (obviously) a very wide geographic range. In the United States, Black-crowned Night-herons have been expanding in both range and numbers after declining in the mid-20th century. Their currently populations in the United States are relatively stable. The IUCN lists the Black-crowned Night-Heron as a species of "Least Concern".

Further Information

Photo Information

May 14th, 2010 - Lake Whitewood in eastern South Dakota - Terry Sohl

Additional Photos

Click on the image chips or text links below for additional, higher-resolution Black-crowned Night Heron photos.

Audio File Credits

¹Joost van Brugen - Recorded in Guinea Bisseau on January 16th, 2020. Original recording and information from xeno-canto.

²Paul Marvin - Recorded in San Diego County, California on June 16th, 2019. Original recording and information from xeno-canto.

³Joost van Brugen - Recorded near Seville, Spain on August 4th, 2018. Original recording and information from xeno-canto.