Black-Crowned Night Heron

The Black-Crowned Night Heron (nycticorax nycticorax) is found across North America as far north as Quebec, and in Central America and coastal Mexico. They have a stocky body and comparatively short neck and legs. During the breeding season, the normally yellow-green legs turn pink on both males and females. These herons are believed to be monogamous. Black-crowned night herons nest in colonies, each pair producing one brood per season. Incubation and feeding of the chicks is done by both parents. Parents do not recognize their own young, and will accept and feed chicks from other nests. They forage mostly at night, and will plunder the nests of other herons. They make regular visits to colonies of terns and Franklins Gulls, carrying off large numbers of chicks.

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