Bird · GBIF taxon 2480953
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Nyctanassa violaceaAlso known as Bihoreau Violacé, Pedrete Corona Clara, Yaboa Común
Yellow-crowned night-herons stalk coastal marshes, wooded swamps, and urban streams, hunting crustaceans with heavy, dagger-like bills. Unlike many herons that wade continuously, these stocky waders stand motionlessly or creep slowly along bank edges before striking with sudden precision. Pairs construct bulky stick nests in trees near water, often returning to the same wooded roosts year after year.
NocturnalWading BirdCoastal
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Crabs
- Crayfish
- Small Fish
Predators
- Raccoons
- Alligators
- Great Horned Owls
ThreatsWetland loss, coastal development, water pollution
HabitatsCoastal wetlands, mangrove swamps, wooded rivers, salt marshes
Life span10–20 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderPelecaniformes
- FamilyArdeidae
- GenusNyctanassa
- SpeciesNyctanassa violacea
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Scanning the Canopy: Look up into mature trees near coastal waterways during daytime, where roosting birds rest quietly.
- Low-Light Spotting: Watch mudflats and riverbanks during twilight hours when active hunting peaks.
- Ethical Distance: Maintain a respectful distance around nesting colonies to prevent flushing adults from eggs.
Co-occurring Species (c) lwolfartist, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Primary Prey "Fiddler Crab at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge" by U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/. · cc0
Close Relative ramidos / CC BY 4.0 · cc-by
Family Relative "Photo of the Week - Great Egret at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge" by U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/. · cc0
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Found in Collections
Ecosystem chain
Wetland Territory
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