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Bird Sightings : Hebrides : Black-crowned Night Heron

 

Awaiting image for this species

 

Black-crowned Night Heron

(Night Heron, Night Raven, Quark, American Red-Necked Grebe, Holboell's Diver, Holboell's Grebe)

Nycticorax nycticorax

 

• Night Heron (Night Heron, Night Raven, Quark, American Red-Necked Grebe, Holboell's Diver, Holboell's Grebe)
• Nycticorax nycticorax
• UK: Approx 10 records a year BTO
• UK: Scarce visitor, escaped breeder
• WI: Very Rare Visitor (Less than 5 records)
• Breeds: Central and Southern Europe, Asia, Africa and North & South America. Resident in tropical areas of it's range.
• Winters Non resident birds migrate to Tropical Africa & Southern Asia.
• Habitat: Nest in colonies on platforms of sticks in tree group. Or on ground in safe places (islands, reedbeds). Fresh and saltwater wetlands: Marshes, ponds, lakes, mangrove
  Diet: Mostly fish, crustaceans, frogs, aquatic insects, small mammals
• Short-necked, stout heron. Black crown & back. Rest of body white/grey. Eyes red. Short yellow legs. Young birds: brown, flecked with white & grey.
  
  

 

 

This heron stands at the water's edge waiting to ambush prey, mostly at night. During the day it rests in trees or shrubs.

The Latin name, Nycticorax, means "night raven", and refers to the nocturnal habit and crow-like call of the night heron.

 

 

Black-crowned Night Heron records in the Western Isles

Very Rare Visitor (Less than 5 records)

 

The chart below shows how abundant the Black-crowned Night Heron is during a month or when you are more likely to see it.

J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D

(Source: Outer Hebrides Birds Checklist)

 

 

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