Parques de Portugal

<p> <em>Nycticorax nycticorax </em>(Linnaeus, 1758)</p>

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  • Black-crowned night heron

  • Nycticorax nycticorax (Linnaeus, 1758)

  • Ardeidae

  • The black-crowned night heron is a robust heron, with a black head and back, beige belly, yellow legs and red eyes. In the mating seasons it exhibits three long white plumes on its head. It can grow to be 65 cm long and have 1 m span.

  • Paul do Boquilobo Nature Reserve

    Estuário do Sado Nature Reserve

  • Lisboa e Vale do Tejo

  • Endangered

  • The black-crowned night heron exists in moist areas with marsh vegetation, such as coastal ponds, water courses, bogs, weirs and dams. In the nesting season it uses willow woods and reed beds. The Nature Reserve of Paul do Boquilobo is an important area in Portugal for this species.

  • Spring and Summer

  • The black-crowned night heron feeds mainly on fresh water fish, amphibians, insects, other invertebrates and small vertebrates. It gets its food by walking in shallow water or remaining still in wait.

  • The Portuguese population of this species is estimated to be between 160 and 200 couples.