What does the Black-crowned Night Heron eat?

The Black-crowned Night Heron's diet shapes where and when you'll find it. Understanding what it eats helps you predict where to look.

Diet overview

Carnivore, primarily piscivorous but highly opportunistic.

How it forages

Primarily nocturnal or crepuscular hunters. They stand motionless at the water's edge or wade slowly in shallow water, waiting to ambush prey. They also employ 'foot-stirring' to disturb prey, 'bill-vibrating' to attract fish, and occasionally 'plunge-diving'. Diet includes fish, amphibians, aquatic invertebrates (crabs, crayfish, insects), small mammals, and even other birds' chicks.

When it feeds

Nocturnal and crepuscular, active from dusk through dawn. Spends daylight hours roosting quietly in dense vegetation.

Explore the Black-crowned Night Heron