Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea)

Observation: Not an often seen species, in Austin, and is the second one I've ever seen, here (could be the first one, again, this year.) I believe this one is nesting in Shoal Creek, which is not usual, at all, for the few herons we do see.

LEO says: According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, "Yellow-crowned Night-Herons slowly stalk prey in or near shallow water, usually alone, with a hunched, forward-leaning posture. They perch quietly on stumps and tree branches, often over water. The majority of their prey is crustaceans, especially crabs and crayfish." A range map is provided below. You can view the location, chronology of sightings and location for Yellow-crowned Night Herons in E-Bird. See image below. M. Brubaker

Resources:

To learn more about bird identification and behavior, visit the website of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

To report and learn more about bird sightings, see eBird