night heron, birds

The night herons are medium-sized herons in the genera Nycticorax and Gorsachius. The genus name Nycticorax derives from the Greek for �night raven� and refers to the largely nocturnal feeding habits of this group of birds, and the croaking crow-like call of the best known species, the Black-crowned Night Heron. These herons are migratory outside the tropical parts of their ranges.

In Europe, Night Heron is often used to refer to the Black-crowned Night Heron, since it is the only member of the genus in that continent.