Black-crowned Night-heron
The black-crowned night-heron has the largest range of any heron, living in wetlands across five different continents. It is a stocky, medium-sized bird with a black cap on its head, black shoulders and pale grey wings.
These birds avoid competing for food with larger herons by hunting during the evening and night, when they patiently wait for their meals of crustaceans, invertebrates and fish. While hunting, black-crowned night herons stand perfectly still on the edge of the water and then quickly ambush unsuspecting passing prey. If waiting is not enough, sometimes the heron will dip its bill into the water and rapidly open and close it to attract prey. Black-crowned night herons live in colonial groups and help raise the young of others with their own.
Tracy Aviary’s black crowned night herons can be found in the Kennecott Wetlands Immersion Experience, located in the northeast section of the Aviary. Look closely and you’ll also see an albino among them.
