Night Heron (Black-crowned Night Heron) Nycticorax nycticorax
Rare visitor to the UK from Continental Europe, although some local records originate from a free-flying "captive" population at Great Witchingham Wildlife Park. One of the photos below is a vagrant bird at Titchwell; the photos from Africa involve birds that belong to the same nominate race as birds in Europe.
%20L.JPG "Black-crowned Night Heron, Liwonde, 24-Sep-08") |
%20L.JPG "Black-crowned Night Heron, Liwonde, 24-Sep-08") |
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Night Heron, Liwonde National Park (Malawi), 24th September 2008
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second-summer Night Heron, Titchwell (Norfolk, UK), 22nd May 2002
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Night Heron, Camargue (Bouche-du-Rhone, France), 25th May 2000
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.JPG "Black-crowned Night Heron, Birecik, 14-May-10") |
.JPG "Black-crowned Night Heron, Birecik, 14-May-10") |
%20L.JPG "Black-crowned Night Heron, Birecik, 14-May-10") |
%20L.JPG "Black-crowned Night Heron, Birecik, 14-May-10") |
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Night Herons, Birecik (Turkey), 14th May 2010
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Night Heron, Liwonde National Park (Malawi), 27th May 2011
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The species also occurs in North America where it's known as Black-crowned Night Heron (race hoactli). They appear very similar to European and African birds although the adult has a shorter white stripe over the eye and the bare parts colours are a bit different in breeding condition. This form could potentially occur over here as a vagrant, but there are no confirmed records to date.
%20L.JPG "Night Heron, Famosa Slough, 19-Apr-05") |
%20L.JPG "Night Heron, Famosa Slough, 19-Apr-05") |
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adult Black-crowned Night Heron (race hoactli), Famosa Slough (California, USA), 19th April 2005
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%20L.JPG "Night Heron, Famosa Slough, 19-Apr-05") |
%20L.JPG "Night Heron, Famosa Slough, 19-Apr-05") |
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first-summer? Black-crowned Night Heron (race hoactli), Famosa Slough (California, USA), 19th April 2005
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%20L.JPG "Night Heron, Famosa Slough, 19-Apr-05") |
%20L.JPG "Night Heron, Famosa Slough, 19-Apr-05") |
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juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron (race hoactli), Famosa Slough (California, USA), 19th April 2005
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%20L.JPG "Night Heron, Ramer Lake, 22-Apr-05") |
%20L.JPG "Night Heron, Famosa Slough, 19-Apr-05") |
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adult Black-crowned Night Heron (race hoactli), Ramer Lake (California, USA), 22nd April 2005
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adult Black-crowned Night Heron (race hoactli), Famosa Slough (California, USA), 19th April 2005
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%20T.JPG "Striated Heron")
%20T.JPG "Bittern")
%20T.JPG "Little Bittern")