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?