Black‑crowned Night Heron Did you see this animal?
Scientific Name : Nycticorax nycticorax
Family : Ardeidae
Order : Pelecaniformes
Class : Aves
Phylum : Chordata
Other Name : Night Heron
Habitat : Wetlands
Description : The Black-crowned Night Heron is a stocky, greyish marsh bird with a distinct black crown (adult bird length approximately 58 cm, weight 275 g, wing 28 cm, bill 7.1 cm, tarsus 7 cm, tail 10.5 cm). It has metallic greenish-black back and scapulars. Its wings and tail are grey. The sides of the body are ashy-grey and the underpart is white. It is a shy and silent bird. These birds exhibit a patient hunting strategy, often standing motionless at the water's edge, waiting to ambush their prey. Their hunting activity is most prevalent during the night or early morning. Their diet primarily consists of various aquatic creatures, including small fish, leeches, earthworms, mussels, squid, crustaceans like crayfish, as well as frogs, other amphibians, aquatic insects, terrestrial insects, lizards, snakes, small mammals such as rodents, small birds, eggs, carrion, and even plant material. In some cases, they may scavenge for garbage and refuse at landfills.
One remarkable behavior observed in these birds is their ability to engage in bait fishing. They entice or distract fish by tossing edible or inedible buoyant objects into the water within their striking range. This unique tactic represents a rare example of tool use among birds.
During the day, these birds take rest in trees or bushes.
One remarkable behavior observed in these birds is their ability to engage in bait fishing. They entice or distract fish by tossing edible or inedible buoyant objects into the water within their striking range. This unique tactic represents a rare example of tool use among birds.
During the day, these birds take rest in trees or bushes.
Distribution in Bangladesh
Other Species from Group
-
Ardea alba
(Great (White) Egret) -
Ardea cinerea
(Grey Heron) -
Egretta garzetta
(Little Egret) -
Butorides striata
(Green-backed (Striated) Heron) -
Ardeola grayii
(Indian Pond Heron) -
Botaurus stellaris
(Eurasian (Great) Bittern) -
Ixobrychus sinensis
(Yellow Bittern) -
Bubulcus ibis
(Cattle Egret) -
Gorsachius melanolophus
(Malayan Night Heron) -
Ixobrychus flavicollis
(Black Bittern)
Species groups
-
Bee-eaters -
Booby -
frigatebird -
phalarope -
tropicbird -
Martins and Swallows -
Crows, Drongos & allies -
Woodpeckers -
Eared Nightjars -
Ibises & Spoonbills -
Trogons -
Coucals -
Pelicans -
Darters -
Gulls -
Warblers and allies -
Flowerpeckers & Sunbirds -
Sparrows, Wagtails, Pipits a& allies -
moonbird -
Hawks & Eagles -
Snipes, Sandpipers, Plovers & allies -
Small Kingfishers -
Cisticola & Prinia -
Plovers & Lapwings -
Rails, Gallinules & Coots -
Tits -
Parrots -
Rosefinches and Buntings -
Bustards -
Grebes -
Pheasants & Partridges -
Old World flycatcher -
Starlings and Mynas -
Hornbills -
Buttonquails -
Rollers -
Bluebirds -
Crested Kingfishers -
Cormorants -
Pigeons and Doves -
Jacanas -
Typical Owl -
Finfoots &booby -
Flamingo -
Herons and Bitterns -
Treecreepers -
Nuthatch -
Barbets -
Treeswifts -
Swifts -
Crab-plovers, Coursers and Pratincoles -
Bulbuls -
Frogmouths -
Larks -
Storks -
Broadbills -
Thick-knees -
Painted-snipes -
Nightjars -
Barn-owls -
Large-billed Kingfishers -
Falcons -
Pittas -
Cranes -
Whistling-ducks -
Ducks, Geese & Swans -
Hoopoe
References:
description written by:Fatema-Tuz-Zohora,Department of Zoology, Jagannath University,Dhaka;information source: Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh, Vol-26, iucnredlist.org;Photo credit and copyright:MSH Sourav (TU Dresden, Germany);taxonomic checklist:P. M. Thompson and S. U. Chowdhury (2020). A checklist of birds of Bangladesh.Birds Bangladesh;bird song owner:Joost van Bruggen(www.xeno-canto.org/Joost van Bruggen), bird sound copyright reserved according to www.xeno-canto.org rules; more information, please contact us.
description written by:Fatema-Tuz-Zohora,Department of Zoology, Jagannath University,Dhaka;information source: Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh, Vol-26, iucnredlist.org;Photo credit and copyright:MSH Sourav (TU Dresden, Germany);taxonomic checklist:P. M. Thompson and S. U. Chowdhury (2020). A checklist of birds of Bangladesh.Birds Bangladesh;bird song owner:Joost van Bruggen(www.xeno-canto.org/Joost van Bruggen), bird sound copyright reserved according to www.xeno-canto.org rules; more information, please contact us.