Yellow-crowned Night Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

The Yellow-crowned Night Heron is a rare visitor to South Dakota, as it is normally found in the southeastern United States.  It is normally a secretive and solitary bird.  Despite the name, it is also active and feeds during the day.  It has a very thick stout bill, well adapted to feeding on crabs and other crustaceans, leading to it's local name of "crab-eater" in many parts of the South.

Habitat: Very seldom in open areas, prefers wooded rivers, lakes, and ponds.

Diet: Feeds heavily on crustaceans, especially crayfish in the interior of the country.  Also will eat fish, insects, tadpoles, and frogs.

Behavior: Will feed at any time of day, but very often near dusk and at night.  Feeds by either standing still in shallow water or on a perch overlooking water, or by wading deliberately through the water in search of prey.

Breeding: No confirmed breeding records in South Dakota, although several summer observations have occurred in recent decades.

Song: A hollow squawking kwock.

Migration: Mainly summers in the southeastern United States.  Winters along the coastlines, Mexico, Central America, and the West Indies.

Similar Species: Black-crowned Night Heron

Status: Expanding in both range and numbers.

Further Information: 1) USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter, Yellow-crowned Night Heron

2) Cornell Lab of Ornithology - Yellow-crowned Night Heron

3) eNature.com - Yellow-crowned Night Heron

Photo Information: April 16th, 1996 - Brazos Bend State Park, Texas - Terry Sohl