Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea), Isla Santay, Ecuador

The Yellow Crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea), is one of two species of night herons found in the Americas. This discreet bird rests in trees during the day and feeds at night, especially crabs.
Adults have a prominent black and white head pattern and a gray body.

The Yellow Crowned Night Heron looks for shallow water to live in, such as marshes, wooded swamps, and lakeshores for inland populations. In coastal areas, thickets, mangroves and cliff-bound coasts are home to this bird. In addition, it needs bushes or trees to build its nests.