Bird · GBIF taxon 2480953
Nyctanassa violacea
nyctanassa violaceaAlso known as Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron, American Night Heron, Bihoreau Violacé, Yaboa Común
Yellow-crowned night herons are stocky wading birds equipped with heavy, stout bills specifically adapted for crushing hard-shelled crustaceans. Unlike many diurnal herons, they frequently forage at night or during shifting tides, quietly stalking crabs, crayfish, and small aquatic life along salt marshes and mangroves. Breeding pairs construct bulky stick nests in coastal woods or wooded swamps, often returning to the same nesting sites each spring.
Wading BirdCoastalNocturnal
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Fiddler Crabs
- Blue Crabs
- Crayfish
Predators
- Raccoons
- Alligators
- Great Horned Owls
ThreatsWetland loss, coastal development, water pollution, and disturbance at nesting colonies
HabitatsSalt marshes, coastal mangroves, swamps, estuaries, and forested wetlands
Life span10 to 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
- May jab defensively with its heavy bill if cornered; maintain a respectful distance.
- What to notice
- Recognized by slate-grey plumage, yellowish crown patch, black head with white cheek stripe, and thick bill.
- Support conservation
- Observe from a distance using binoculars or a spotting scope, especially near wooded wetland nesting sites.
Responsible observation
- Foraging watch: Look motionless near fiddler crab burrows along tidal mudflats during low tide.
- Colony protection: Stay well clear of nesting trees to avoid disturbing brooding adults and chicks.
- Night observation: Use dim or red-filtered light when observing nocturnal feeding activity.
Prey 
Frequent Companion Chuck Homler d/b/a Focus On Wildlife / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Predator "Great Horned Owl, the first I've seen in decent light this year. Didn't want to disturb it for too long so we continued along the trail" by island deborah- is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/. · cc-by-sa
Close Relative ramidos / CC BY 4.0 · cc-by
Close Relative "Birds - Little Blue Heron by William Powell" by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Southwest 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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Ecosystem chain
Wetland Territory
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