Black-crowned Night Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
Stocky adults have a black cap and gray wings; juveniles are streaked and brown.
- Bird group
- Shorebirds & wading birds
- Where to look
- Sheltered water edges
- Explore the region
- Coachella Valley bird guide
Through the lens.
Select any photograph for a closer look. Move through the gallery with the arrows or a swipe.
This is a regional bird guide; photographs may also come from places beyond the valley. Locations are noted when available.
Know what to notice.
The Black-crowned Night Heron is a medium-sized, nocturnal heron often found near year-round water in the Coachella Valley, CA. Adults have a glossy black crown and back, pale gray wings, and vivid red eyes for low-light vision. Juveniles are streaked brown for camouflage.
They roost in colonies daily and become active at dusk, feeding on fish, amphibians, insects, and small mammals. Nests are built near water in trees or shrubs, and both parents care for the young. Their presence signals a healthy aquatic habitat, a vital sign for desert ecosystems.
Another bird to discover.
Killdeer
Two black chest bands stand out on this plover of gravel, fields and water edges.
Meet this bird
Great Blue Heron
A tall blue-gray heron that stalks the shallows and flies with its neck folded back.
Meet this birdSee the bigger picture.
The Pacific Flyway: Coachella Valley’s Living Migration Path
Follow the larger migration story connecting desert oases, open water and the birds passing through the valley.
Read the story
Layers of a Desert Lake: Birds of Lake Cahuilla in Winter
Explore a winter visit to Lake Cahuilla, from close encounters along the shore to movement above the water.
Read the story
Salton Sea Bird Watching: Where to Go & What to See
Continue south to the Salton Sea for a broader look at birding places, habitats and seasonal variety.
Read the story