Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

This bird is resident along the shores of coastal Mexico. On the Pacific, it ranges south to the equator. On the Atlantic and Caribbean, we find it from the Gulf Coast south to southern Brazil. Their dietary specialty is crabs and other crustaceans.

Science recognizes six subspecies of this heron:

N. v. violacea lives in central and eastern USA, eastern Mexico and along Caribbean coast to Costa Rica; winters south to West Indies and Panama
N. v. bancrofti lives on the Pacific coast from northwestern Mexico to Nicaragua, West Indies and Bahamas, and recently found breeding in southern California
N. v. gravirostris lives on islands off the west Mexican coast, including Isla Socorro
N. v. caliginis lives in Panama and western Colombia to northwestern Peru, and on islands west of Costa Rica
N. v. cayennensis lives in northeastern Panama, Colombia and Venezuela to coastal northern and eastern Brazil
N. v. pauper lives on the Galapagos Islands

I’ve enjoyed meeting these birds in San Diego (California), south Texas, and on islands off the coast of Baja California (Mexico). The birds I met in Baja California were most likely winter visitors. I captured my favorite images at Estero Llano Grande State Park in south Texas.

Yellow-Crowned Night Heron - Nyctanassa violacea — **Yellow-Crowned Night Heron**
*(Nyctanassa violacea)*

**Description:**
Our first landing on our way to the Archipielago de Revillagigedo was at Isla San Rogue, a seemingly barren rock of an island near the central coast of Baja California.
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**Date Taken:** 2017:02:11 9:23

**Location:**

Isla San Roque
San Roque, Baja California Sur
Mexico
9.84 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D5, 340 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200

**File Name:** YellowCrownedNightHeron_D5X4856

© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Pin It — **Yellow-Crowned Night Heron**
*(Nyctanassa violacea)*

**Description:**
Our first landing on our way to the Archipielago de Revillagigedo was at Isla San Rogue, a seemingly barren rock of an island near the central coast of Baja California.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2017:02:11 9:23

**Location:**

Isla San Roque
San Roque, Baja California Sur
Mexico
9.84 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D5, 340 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200

**File Name:** YellowCrownedNightHeron_D5X4856

© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Yellow-Crowned Night Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

Our first landing on our way to the Archipielago de Revillagigedo was at Isla San Rogue, a seemingly barren rock of an island near the central coast of Baja California.

Yellow-Crowned Night Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

With Western Gulls our first landing on our way to the Archipielago de Revillagigedo was at Isla San Rogue, a seemingly barren rock of an island near the central coast of Baja California.

Yellow-Crowned Night Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

With Western Gulls our first landing on our way to the Archipielago de Revillagigedo was at Isla San Rogue, a seemingly barren rock of an island near the central coast of Baja California.

Yellow-Crowned Night Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

(Nyctanassa violacea) Our first landing on our way to the Archipielago de Revillagigedo was at Isla San Rogue, a seemingly barren rock of an island near the central coast of Baja California Mexico, 2017-02-11.

Yellow-Crowned Night Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

My first stop on this tour was at Alligator Pond, and Night-Herons were there to greet me. This Wednesday tour of Estero Llano Grande State Park was only my second visit here. My first visit was on foot, but this day I rode my bike and explored a much wider area.

Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

Juvenile. My first stop on this tour was at Alligator Pond, and Night-Herons were there to greet me. This Wednesday tour of Estero Llano Grande State Park was only my second visit here. My first visit was on foot, but this day I rode my bike and explored a much wider area.

Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

Yellow-Crowned Night-Herons specialize in crustacean hunting. With a momentary lull in warbler migration on South Padre Island, I paid my admission to the Birds and Nature Center to attempt catching subjects that don’t make many appearances at the Convention Centre.

Yellow-Crowned Night Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

Harsh mid-day sun at Famosa Slough in north Point Loma. San Diego California.

Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

The mud flats under the mangroves were crowded with Fiddler Crabs. It did not surprise me that Yellow-Crowned Night-Herons would be attracted to this food source. Spend a day at the SPI Bird and Nature Center (BNC) and there will surely be some interesting birds for your entertainment.

Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

Yellow-Crowned Night-Herons, both adults and juveniles, liked to hunker down in shady places at the edges of the water at the Edinburg Scenic Wetlands.

Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

Yellow-Crowned Night-Herons, both adults and juveniles, liked to hunker down in shady places at the edges of the water at the Edinburg Scenic Wetlands.

Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

Yellow-Crowned Night-Herons, both adults and juveniles, liked to hunker down in shady places at the edges of the water at the Edinburg Scenic Wetlands.

Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

Yellow-Crowned Night-Herons, both adults and juveniles, liked to hunker down in shady places at the edges of the water at the Edinburg Scenic Wetlands.