Yellow-Crowned Night Heron
Nyctanassa violacea
Also known as: Crabeater, Night Gaulin
Habitat
Aquatic
Diet
VertFishScav
Active Time
Diurnal
Size
682 g
About This Species
A stocky, thick-billed heron, it feeds mainly at dusk, night and dawn on crabs and other invertebrates in mangroves, coastal marshes and mudflats, standing motionless before striking prey. Look for its pale crown and stout black bill along quiet shorelines and mangrove edges, with activity concentrated around low tide and the twilight hours when it is most actively foraging.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Observe from at least 20 to 30 metres and avoid approaching roost trees or rookeries, since this heron is easily flushed from daytime roosts and colonial nesting sites are vulnerable to repeated disturbance.
- Coastal wetlands and mangroves that support it are often protected habitats with posted access rules, and disturbing nesting herons is restricted under wildlife law in much of its range.
- Move quietly and keep well back from any roosting or nesting group.
LCAvesPelecaniformesArdeidae
Seasonal Activity
840,677 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
- Family
- Ardeidae
Traits
- Diet
- VertFishScav
- Foraging
- Aquatic
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Body mass
- 682 g
Photo
(c) Anna, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Anna
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.