Yellow-crowned Night Heron

A peek at Florida's Nature

Yellow crown only at breeding time
The Yellow-crowned Night Heron has a misleading name. The crown of this bird is actually white for most of the year. It is not until breeding season arrives that the crown turns yellow. This bird stands about two feet tall and is one of the shorter herons. Its body and wings are gray. Its legs are usually yellow.

Black head with white cheeks
The eyes of the Yellow-crowned are red, and its bulky bill is black with a tiny white spot at the tip. Its head coloring is the distinctive feature. This bird has a black head with white cheeks and a white stripe from the crown to the back of the head. This crown is what turns bright yellow at breeding time.

Adult Yellow-crowned Night Heron
with non-breeding colors

Not actually nocturnal
The “Night” part of this bird's name can be misleading because even though the Yellow-crowned Night Heron often hunts at night, it is not actually nocturnal. It can also be seen during the day. It is unquestionably one of the more reclusive herons, though. It often wades in the shade of thick mangroves or walks near a vegetated shoreline, searching for small crabs, fish and turtles which it often swallows whole.

Yellow-crowned Night Heron with breeding plumage

Breeding colors
When it is time to breed, the crown of this bird turns yellow. Thin white plumes grow from the back of its head. Its legs turn reddish-orange at the top and dark gray at the bottom. Gray plumes grow from its back. The male and female build their nest in mangroves, or sometimes in taller trees. The nest is a delicate, shallow basket that is not anchored to the tree. Unfortunately, that makes it vulnerable to wind and storms.

Immature Yellow-crowned Night Herons are brown
with white markings

Young night herons
Young Yellow-crowned Night Herons do not look like the adults. They have the same bulky black bill, but their feathers are brown with white markings. The young have orange eyes and greenish legs. They are almost identical to the young Black-crowned Night Heron, but the young Yellow-crowned has longer legs and it stands with a more upright posture.

To see photos and details of the Yellow-crowned Night Heron nests
at Howard Park, click here.

The photos on this page were taken in Tarpon Springs, Florida.