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2 Data Sources
Night Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax nycticorax
Also known as: Black-crowned Night-Heron • Black-crowned Night-heron • Black-crowned night-heron
Kingdom: Animalia• Family: Ardeidae• Order: Pelecaniformes
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 like a barking sound, call of the best known species, the black-crowned night heron.
📌 Name
In Europe and the Western United States, night heron is often used to refer to the black-crowned night heron, since it is the only member of the genus in those regions. The black-crowned night heron was named the official bird of the city of Oakland, California.
📌 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 seven 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, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Black-crowned Night-heron, Black-crowned night-heron, black-crowned night heron, Black-crowned night heron, 'Auku'u, Black-crowned Night Heron, Gak kakavac, तार बकुला, BCNH, Black Crowned Night Heron, Murrell Hen, Qua Bird
Class:
Aves
Data Completeness:
86%
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 Statistics
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Observations
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Countries
Top Locations
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Data aggregates species content from multiple sources including Wikipedia, iNaturalist, GBIF, and ITIS. Content may transform over time. Wikipedia content is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.