By Sally Siko
Pleased to see a Yellow-crowned Night Heron in Pittsboro NC!
Spotting this bird in a heavily forested suburban neighborhood was truly a surprise because they’re typically found in wetland habitats including marshes, swamps, mangroves, and wooded areas as long as it’s near water bodies such as rivers, lakes, and ponds.
Though this species has been known to breed in sporadically central NC, they are far more a common sight in our eastern counties so seeing this bird was a treat indeed.
As their name suggests, Yellow-crowned Night Herons are primarily nocturnal hunters. They feed on a diet consisting mainly of crustaceans, insects, fish, amphibians, and small mammals.
They are endowed with specialized adaptations for hunting in low light conditions, including large eyes with a high density of light-sensitive cells and a keen sense of hearing.
The definition of a patient hunter, it typically stalks its prey, moving slowly and quietly through shallow waters, marshes, or along the shoreline.
Once it spots a potential meal, it strikes swiftly with its sharp beak to capture its prey. This bird may also wait motionless for extended periods, hardly moving a muscle while using its keen eyesight to detect movement before striking.
If you ever encounter one in hunting mode it’s well worth the wait to see one strike. Truly an entertaining thing to watch!
These guys are best found from mid April through mid October so we’ve all got plenty of time to tick them off our North Carolina lists this year.
I hope that you get to see one too!
Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5
