Yellow-crowned Night Heron Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesYellow-crowned Night Heron
Adult
Stocky and compact heron with a blocky head and thick neck. Adults have a boldly marked black-and-white head with a yellow crown, though the yellow can be hard to see depending on lighting conditions. Note gray underparts.
© Evan Lipton / Macaulay LibraryRhode Island, July 25, 2017Juvenile
Juveniles are brown and streaky overall with fine streaking and spotting. Note the hefty black bill.
© Evan Lipton / Macaulay LibraryRhode Island, July 25, 2017Adult
Thick-necked and relatively short-legged heron with a thick, all-dark bill.
© Tom Johnson / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, January 12, 2014Not all videos have sound
Immature
Immatures take 3-4 years to attain adult plumage. Immatures are browner overall than adults with an adultlike head pattern that develops over time. This individual is starting to show a whitish cheek patch.
© Christoph Moning / Macaulay LibraryRegião Autónoma da Madeira, August 02, 2011Adult
Flies with neck tucked in and feet trailing behind, sticking out past the end of the tail.
© Oscar Johnson / Macaulay LibraryLouisiana, June 11, 2017Adult
Males perform a neck-stretching display for females by slowly raising and quickly retracting their head while fanning their long shoulder plumes. Females sometimes reciprocate displays.
© Josephine Kalbfleisch / Macaulay LibraryMaryland, April 25, 2020Adult
Compact heron with an upright stance; often stands with its neck tucked in. The bold head pattern and yellow crown are distinctive.
© David Clark / Macaulay LibraryVirginia, March 25, 2006Adult
Stands still patiently waiting for prey or slowly walks in search of crabs, frogs, and aquatic invertebrates.
© Ryan Sanderson / Macaulay LibraryIndiana, June 24, 2017Habitat
Found in coastal wetlands, barrier islands, saltmarshes, drainage ditches, mangroves, swamps, and sometimes wet lawns or fields.
© Rob Bielawski / Macaulay LibraryVirginia, August 17, 2016Similar SpeciesBlack-crowned Night Heron
Adult (American)
Adult Black-crowned Night Heron lacks the Yellow-crowned Night Heron's boldly marked face. Black-crowned Night Heron also has paler underparts.
© Jeff Timmons / Macaulay LibraryIndiana, July 23, 2017Similar SpeciesBlack-crowned Night Heron
Adult (American)
Black-crowned Night Herons has shorter legs, that in flight don’t extend as far past the tail as they do on Yellow-crowned Night Heron.
© Charlene Fortner / Macaulay LibraryKansas, July 13, 2015Similar SpeciesBlack-crowned Night Heron
Juvenile
Immature Black-crowned Night Heron has larger spots and bolder streaks compared to the Yellow-crowned’s smaller, more distinct spots and streaks. Immature Black-crowned Night Heron also has a pale yellowish (not black) bill.
© Evan Lipton / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, August 19, 2016Similar SpeciesAmerican Bittern
Adult/immature
American Bittern is more likely to be found in reedy freshwater marshes than Yellow-crowned Night Herons. It also lacks the boldly spotted upperparts of immature night herons.
© Tim Lenz / Macaulay LibraryNew Jersey, October 11, 2009Similar SpeciesGreen Heron
Adult
Adult Green Heron is darker and more richly colored in green and reddish tones than the gray Yellow-crowned Night Heron.
© Simon Best / Macaulay LibraryMaryland, May 12, 2017Similar SpeciesGreen Heron
Juvenile
Juvenile Green Heron is redder on the neck than juvenile or immature night herons. Green Heron is also smaller with a thinner bill than Yellow-crowned Night Heron.
© Evan Lipton / Macaulay LibraryRhode Island, August 11, 2017Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns(Order: Pelecaniformes, Family: Ardeidae)
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