Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Nyctanassa violacea
The adult frequents tidal marshes, mangrove lagoons, wooded swamps, and other shallow-water habitats. It usually hunts at dusk, night, or early morning, standing still before striking crabs, crayfish, fish, frogs, and large insects with a rapid bill thrust. Adults show a gray body, black head, pale cheek patches, and the yellowish crown plumes that give the species its name. This heron is especially specialized for eating crustaceans compared with many other night herons.
- Type
- Water
- Conservation status
- LC
Growth chain
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- Yellow-crowned Night Heron