Birds of the Week #CXXIV —

Nycticorax nycticorax

Black-crowned night heron

The Black-crowned Night Heron was previously described as Ardea nycticorax, based on specimens from southern Europe. The Swedish naturalist, Carl Linnaeus, placed it in the genus Ardea; the same grouping as herons, cranes and egrets.

It is currently placed in the genus Nycticorax that was described in 1817 by the English naturalist Thomas Forster.

The Black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) is a medium-sized heron found throughout a large part of the world, including parts of Europe, Asia, and North and South America. 

Black-crowned night herons do not fit the typical body form of the heron family. They are relatively stocky with shorter bills, legs, and necks than their more familiar cousins, the egrets and “day” herons. When they are in a resting position their posture is somewhat hunched, but when they are hunting they extend their necks and look more like other wading birds.

These Black-crowned Night Herons can be spotted along Paradise Point at Mission Bay in San Diego, California.

Bird of the Week CXXIV

Photo Credit:©️Valerie Williams Jenkins

Location: Paradise Point Mission Bay; San Diego, California, USA

God Bless. Get Outdoors and Enjoy Nature’s Beauty. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.