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Manatee County

Audubon Society

Yellow-crowned Night Heron

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Name

Yellow-crowned Night Heron

Scientific Name

(Nyctanassa violacea)

Why they are special:
  • A striking, stocky heron with a bold black-and-white face and bright yellow crown.

  • Unlike the Black-crowned Night Heron, this species is more specialized, feeding heavily on crabs and crustaceans.

  • A unique and charismatic wader often found along Florida’s coasts and wetlands.
Size and color:
  • A medium-sized heron, about 22–28 inches long with a wingspan of 40–44 inches.

  • Adults: slate-gray body, black face with a bold white cheek patch, and a yellow crown stripe.

  • Eyes are large and red; legs are yellow to orange.

  • Juveniles: streaked brown with heavy spotting, resembling small bitterns.
Seasonality in Florida:
  • Year-round resident in Florida, including Manatee County.

  • Most common along coastal mangroves, tidal creeks, and estuaries.
Habitat:
  • Prefer coastal wetlands, mangrove swamps, and salt marshes.

  • In Manatee County, look for them along tidal flats, mangrove edges, and brackish ponds.
Diet:
  • Feed primarily on crabs, crayfish, and other crustaceans, often foraging slowly at low tide.

  • Also take frogs, fish, and insects when available.
Behavior:
  • More crepuscular than strictly nocturnal—often active at dawn and dusk.

  • Hunt by walking slowly and deliberately, then striking with precision.

  • Nest colonially in mangroves or trees near water.
Conservation notes:
  • Populations are stable in Florida, though dependent on healthy coastal wetlands.

  • Vulnerable to habitat loss, particularly the destruction of mangroves and tidal marshes.
Best time to see:
  • Year-round, especially at low tide in coastal areas when crabs are exposed.

  • Juveniles can sometimes be seen inland in summer, following freshwater food sources.
Fun Fact:
  • Yellow-crowned Night Herons are so crab-focused that they even crush the shells with their strong bills before swallowing the meat!
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