Black-Crowned Night Heron By: Tabitha Edwards February 10, 2014 Period: 3
Latin Name: Nycticorax nycticorax Common Name: Black-Crowned Night Heron
Male and female take turns caring for the young Adults are light-gray birds with a neatly defined black back and black crown, weigh 2 lbs Immatures are brown with large white spots on the wings and blurry streaks on the under parts Adults have all-black bills; immatures have yellow-and-black bills Life History & Physical Characteristics
Reproduction Sexually mature at 2 years eggs are laid at 2 day intervals, beginning 4-5 days after pair formation Incubation lasts days 3-5 young per pair
Food & Water Preference Opportunistic Feeder –Mainly Fish –Leeches –Earthworms –Insects –Crayfish –Amphibians –Rodents –Carrion –Plant Materials –Garbage
Food & Water Preferences prefers to feed in shallow waters grasps its prey with its bill instead of stabbing it 'bill vibrating'-opening and closing the bill rapidly in water, creates a disturbance which lures prey evening to early morning
Habitat
Range Territory Nest Feeding grounds
Ecology and Behavior When feeding: plunges from the air onto water When walking: usually keeps its head and neck lowered rarely runs Crepuscular hunters Gregarious
Predators Crows Humans Parasites None known Diseases Bird flu
Status & Cause for Listing Delaware: endangered –Number and size of colonies have declined Federal: not listed as threatened, endangered, or extinct –all migratory birds are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.
Conservation Management Needs Habitat construction and protection –Nesting grounds –Wetlands –Monitor predators of young
Impacts to Ecosystem if Eliminated Increase in heron’s prey species
Conclusion The Black-Crowned Night Heron is –Migratory –Gregarious –Crepuscular –Beautiful –Unique So we need to help protect their colonies to ensure that they can beautify Delaware for many years to come
References ack-crowned_night-heron/idhttp:// ack-crowned_night-heron/id /accounts/Nycticorax_nycticorax/#repr oductionhttp://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu /accounts/Nycticorax_nycticorax/#repr oduction ckcrown.htmhttp:// ckcrown.htm g2http://birds.audubon.org/species/blani g2
Thank You Questions?