By Cheryl Conley
Lake Creek Nature Preserve
Even birds go through awkward teenage years. The juvenile, yellow-
crowned night heron is living proof. With its gangly appearance, streaked
brown feathers, and oversized eyes, it’s a bird that people either find
irresistibly cute or wonderfully odd-looking. Fortunately, it eventually grows
into one of the most beautiful and distinctive wading birds in Texas.
The adult, yellow-crowned night heron is a striking bird with an
unmistakable appearance. It has a glossy black head that’s accented by
bright white cheeks and a pale yellow-white crown for most of the year. It
stretches from the base of the bill, between the eyes, and over the top of
the head. During breeding season, it turns a bright yellow color—giving the
species its name. The bold black-and-white pattern creates a distinctive
striped look across the face. Another change that takes place during
breeding season is long, delicate white plumes appear and extend from the
back of the head. Completing the bird’s regal appearance are its stout
black bill and piercing orange-red eyes.
Now that we know where the “yellow-crowned” part of its name comes
from, what about the “night” heron? Unlike most herons, which do their
hunting during the day, yellow-crowned night herons spend much of the
daylight hours quietly roosting in trees. As dusk approaches, they become
active, searching for crabs, crayfish, fish, amphibians, insects, and other
small prey under the cover of darkness. By hunting primarily at night and
during the twilight hours, they avoid competing with many of the wading
birds that feed during the day.
Yellow-crowned night herons are seasonally monogamous, forming a bond
for each breeding season. The male chooses the nesting site, usually in a
pine, oak, or other tree growing near or over water. Nests are often tucked
high above the ground and may be built as much as 60 feet up. Once the
nest is complete, the female lays two to six eggs. Both parents share
incubation duties, and after about 25 days, the eggs hatch and the pair
works together to care for their young.
One of the most remarkable things about the yellow-crowned night heron is
its diet. While it will eat fish, frogs, insects, and other small animals, its
favorite meals are crabs and crayfish. It will even eat small turtles—shell
and all. Those hard shells might seem impossible to digest, but the heron’s
highly acidic digestive system is well equipped for the job, breaking down
much of the shell, claws, and other hard parts that many predators can’t.
It’s an impressive adaptation that allows the yellow-crowned night heron to
take advantage of a food source few other birds can handle.
Unlike many wading birds, yellow-crowned night herons have adapted
surprisingly well to life in the Houston area and are remarkably tolerant of
people. Houston’s extensive network of bayous, wetlands, neighborhood
ponds, and drainage channels provides an abundance of food and ideal
nesting habitat. It’s not unusual to find these birds quietly hunting around
neighborhood ponds and city parks. If left undisturbed, they’ll often ignore
nearby walkers as they patiently search for their next meal.
If you’d like to see one, Buffalo Bayou is one of the best places to look.
Other excellent locations include the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center,
as well as Memorial Park and Hermann Park. Your best chance of spotting
one is around dawn or dusk when they become most active. Watch quietly
along the edges of ponds, bayous, and wooded shorelines, where they
slowly stalk the shallows before striking at unsuspecting prey. With a little
patience, you may be rewarded with a close-up view of one of Houston’s
most fascinating wading birds.
