Black-crowned Night Heron

Beautiful red iris.

Scientific name	Nycticorax nycticorax
English name	Black-crowned Night Heron
Japanese name	Goisagi
Classification	Aves
Classification details	Pelecaniformes Ardeidae
Full length	58-65cm.
Distribution	Can be seen throughout the year south of Honshu

Characteristics

A bird of the heron family with a distinctive blue and gray back and red iris. It can also be seen in small ponds in cities. Juvenile birds are generally brown with yellow spots and are called 'Hoshigoi'. During the breeding season, there is a white crest on the back of the head. It lives in places similar to the great egret and gray heron, but it has a short neck. The size is about the size of a crow, which is a small heron, and makes a quacking sound while flying. In some areas, it is called "night crow" because of its cry.

There is an anecdote that it came to be called 'night heron' (five-ranked heron) because it was liked by Emperor Daigo.

Ecology

Inhabits rivers, lakes, marshes, etc. and forms small groups. It is nocturnal and hides in bushes and forests during the day. They start moving in the evening and catch and eat fish, amphibians, and crustaceans at the water's edge. It forms a colony with other herons in coniferous forests such as Great Egret and Gray Heron, and builds a nest by carrying branches to the top of trees. Breeds from spring to summer.

Habitat

Ueno Park Shinobazu Pond

I found him resting by Shinobazu Pond in Ueno Park. It was taking a nap, right next to a human-walked path. It was in a quiet place away from other herons, ducks and other birds. It may have been noon, so he was still. Even if I took a picture from outside the fence, he didn't warn me, and it seemed that he was used to being a human. In addition to herons, many wild birds come to Shinobazu Pond. And it was a wonderful place to see closer than the zoo.

Yudono River at dusk

In mid-December, when I was walking along the Yudono River after sunset, I saw a night heron in the middle of the river. I've never seen one before. It was getting darker and darker, but I took as many pictures as I could. They seemed to be foraging at their own pace. On the way, a great egret came and fought a little. When the great egret left, it went back to foraging.