2. Black-Crowned Night Heron By: Tabitha Edwards February 10, 2014 Period: 3

3. Latin Name: Nycticorax nycticorax Common Name: Black-Crowned Night Heron

4. 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

5. Reproduction Sexually mature at 2 years eggs are laid at 2 day intervals, beginning 4-5 days after pair formation Incubation lasts 24-26 days 3-5 young per pair

6. Food & Water Preference Opportunistic Feeder –Mainly Fish –Leeches –Earthworms –Insects –Crayfish –Amphibians –Rodents –Carrion –Plant Materials –Garbage

7. 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

8. Habitat

9. Range Territory Nest Feeding grounds

10. 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

11. Predators Crows Humans Parasites None known Diseases Bird flu

12. 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.

13. Conservation Management Needs Habitat construction and protection –Nesting grounds –Wetlands –Monitor predators of young

14. Impacts to Ecosystem if Eliminated Increase in heron’s prey species

15. 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

16. References http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/bl ack-crowned_night-heron/idhttp://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/bl ack-crowned_night-heron/id http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu /accounts/Nycticorax_nycticorax/#repr oductionhttp://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu /accounts/Nycticorax_nycticorax/#repr oduction http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/bla ckcrown.htmhttp://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/bla ckcrown.htm http://birds.audubon.org/species/blani g2http://birds.audubon.org/species/blani g2

17. Thank You Questions?