Immature Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

            Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
Southwest Florida
USA 

Black-crowned Night-Herons are stocky birds compared to many of their long-limbed heron relatives. They’re most active at night or at dusk, when you may see their ghostly forms flapping out from daytime roosts to forage in wetlands. In the light of day adults are striking in gray-and-black plumage and long white head plumes. These social birds breed in colonies of stick nests usually built over water. They live in fresh, salt, and brackish wetlands and are the most widespread heron in the world. 

The black-crowned night heron, Nycticorax nycticorax, is among the late risers of the avian world. If the early bird is truly the one that gets the worm, then the night heron would be in trouble. Toward evening, the black-crowned night heron leaves its roost to begin foraging and continues to hunt until first light. The night-owl lifestyle allows it to find food at a time of day when there's little competition. On the menu: fish, shrimp, mussels, leaches, rodents, snakes, frogs, bird, eggs, carrion and garbage. Wikipedia

Taken in: United States / Florida / Corkscrew (show map)

Taken on: March 25, 2017

Tags:

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary 2017

Southwest Florida

Black-crowned Night Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

Stocky Birds

Active at NIght or Dusk

Social Species

Stick Nest Colonies

Most Widespread Heron

Late Riser

Night-owl Lifestyles

Eats Fish

Carrion and Garbage

Sue Roehl

Lumix DMC-GH4

Coth5+

Sunrays+5 « less

Sets appears in: • Audubon's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

Groups appears in: • Wild Animals • wildlife photographers more » • SUPERB: commented with superb • FANTASTIC: commented with fantastic • EXCELLENT: commented with excellent • TERRIFIC: Commented with terrific • Beauty of Nature • ***The Wildlife Photography • South Florida Wetlands( comments optional but nice ) • Born Free, Living Free • Wild About Wildlife • Birding In The Wild • Fantastic Wildlife • National Wildlife Federation's Wildlife Watch • NatureLovers • National Geographic Wild Life • **Heart Awards** (P.1 Award 5) Open - Sweeper present • National Wildlife Magazine Photo Group • Colors Of The Heart! *Invited Images Only*! • Earth Images Nature Photography • Flickr Global (Your Best Photographs). • Animal Central • Wildlife, KEEP IT WILD!!! • WILDLIFE & NATURE ONLY ~ No Limits Just Wildlife. • *Feathers & Beaks* P1 - A3 • The Best Wildlife Photography on Planet Earth. • Our Wonderful and Fragile World - P1 - A4 • Wild Birds of North America • Birding for everyone! (Field Guide of the World) • * Wonderful World of Wildlife * • Worldwide Fauna • US Wildlife • FlickrCentral2 « less

Stats: 618 views / 79 comments

Link to this photo view:
Link to this photo large view: