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Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

Nyctanassa violacea Order CICONIIFORMES - Family ARDEIDAE
Summary Detailed
For complete Life History Information on this species, visit Birds of North America Online.

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, adult
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Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, adult
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Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, juvenile
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Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, juvenile
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  1. Description
  2. Sound
  3. Other Names
  4. Full detailed species account

A nocturnal heron of the southern swamps and coasts, the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron can also be found breeding along wooded streams northward to Indiana and Illinois.

Description

  • Medium-sized rather stocky heron.
  • Black face and bill, with white cheek.
  • Yellowish crown stripe.
  • Gray body.
  • Legs yellow.

  • Size: 55-70 cm (22-28 in)
  • Weight: 650-800 g (22.95-28.24 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes look alike.

Sound

Call a loud, harsh squawk.

»listen to songs of this species

Other Names

Bihoreau violace (French)
Pedrete enmascarado, Chicuaco enmacarado (Spanish)

Sources used to construct this page:

Watts, B. D. 1995. Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea). In The Birds of North America, No. 161 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and The American Ornithologists¿ Union, Washington, D.C.

 
 
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