Night Heron - TheLiving Encyclopedia

The night herons are medium-sized herons, 58–65 cm, in the genera Nycticorax, Nyctanassa, and Gorsachius. The genus name Nycticorax derives from the Greek for "night raven" and refers to the largely nocturnal feeding habits of this group of birds, and the croaking crow-like, almost bark-like, call of the best known species, the black-crowned night heron.

📌 Breeding

Night herons nest alone or in colonies, on platforms of sticks in a group of trees, or on the ground in protected locations such as islands or reedbeds. 3–8 eggs are laid.

📌 Taxonomy

There are six extant species. The genus Nycticorax has suffered more than any other Pelecaniformes genus from extinction, mainly because of their capability to colonize small, predator-free oceanic islands, and a tendency to evolve towards flightlessness.

📌 Genera

* Nyctanassa * Nycticorax * Gorsachius * Oroanassa

📌 Distribution and habitat

Night herons are found on every continent except Antarctica. Night herons in Europe breed mainly in southern and southeastern Europe and migrate across the Sahara to winter in central and west Africa.

Quick Facts

Common Names:

Night Heron, Afro-Eurasian Black-crowned Night Heron, Afro-Eurasian Black-crowned Night-Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron (Eurasian), Eurasian Black-crowned Night-Heron, Old World Black-crowned Night Heron, Old World Black-crowned Night-Heron

Class:

Aves

Data Completeness:

71%

Data Sources

🌍gbif

📚itis

📖wikipedia

🔬eol

🦎inaturalist

References

All references are verified for authenticity. We prioritize peer-reviewed studies, reputable databases (iNaturalist, GBIF), and established encyclopedias.

Distribution Data

No distribution data available

Data will appear when observations are recorded