IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alabang/4893126368/
Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
by
alabang
, on Flickr
Despite being fairly ubiquitous on a global level, the slightly unusual
nocturnal
habit of the black-crowned night heron renders it less conspicuous than most other herons
(2)
(3)
(4)
. Of moderate size for a heron, this stockily built species has short legs and a short neck, with the male, on average, being the slightly larger of the sexes
(2)
(5)
. As its name suggests, the adult black-crowned night heron has a glossy, black cap that extends down the upper back, while the rest of the body plumage generally ranges from white to ashy grey
(2)
(5)
. The nape is adorned with two to three long, white plumes reaching up to 25 cm in the breeding season
(5)
. The stout bill is black in colour, the eyes, a piercing crimson, and the legs, yellow-green for most of the year but becoming pink during the breeding season
(2)
(5)
. Juveniles are mostly brown, with heavy striping and pale spots, but as they grow towards the adult plumage, become more solidly dark above and pale below
(2)
. Four subspecies that differ subtly in appearance and occupy different ranges are currently recognised:
Nycticorax nycticorax nycticorax,
N. n. hoactli,
N. n. obscurus and
N. n. falkandicus (2)
(5)
.
Source:
http://www.arkive.org …on/nycticorax-nycticorax/
Taken in Valenzuela City, Philippines
Settings:
1/640 ƒ/4 ISO400 500mm