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Description: 23"-26" (58.5-66 cm).
Adult has black crown and back plumage, with white hindneck plumes (longer during breeding
season.) The wings are pale gray, sides of neck pale gray and the throat is white. Legs
dull yellow. Bold red eye. It takes 3 years for full adult plumage to develop. Immature
plumage is dull and heavily streaked grayish brown. As birds mature the plumage morphs
into adult appearance. 1st spring birds retain chest and lower wing streaking, 2nd spring
birds resemble adults except black plumage is dull brown. Legs are greenish-yellow.
Voice: A noisy krok, krok, krok call and low guttural wok. Calls when
disturbed and at night.
Habitat: Wetland habitats. Marshes, forest, rivers and streams. Can be found roosting in
communal flock in trees along river. At dusk many can be seen and heard leaving roosts to
hunt along Kern River.
Nesting: The
Black-crowned Night-Heron lays 3-5 pale greenish-blue eggs in a twig lined stick nest.
They have communal nesting grounds called rookeries
Range: All wetland habitats with
trees or large shrubs throughout the county. All regions.
Status: A common wandering resident along the lower Kern River.
Occasional everywhere else. |
