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Find a Bird

Black-crowned Night-Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax

Black-crowned Night Heron numbers at coastal colonies are steadily dropping, even as the species appears at new colonies. State surveys indicate declines as large as 45 percent. Its breeding distribution in Massachusetts is virtually restricted to the coast.
Conservation Status
Continued Action/Monitoring Needed

Tracking This Bird In Massachusetts

Climate Vulnerability Score

No data
Mass Audubon Mean likelihood of occurrence (current)
Mass Audubon Mean likelihood of occurrence (2050)
Mass Audubon Absolute change in likelihood of occurrence
no data
U.S. Forest Service Climate Change Bird Atlas (Hadly Hi emissions scenario)a
No data available
National Audubon Societyb
No data available
a USFS model data for Massachusetts by 2100
b National Audubon Society's Climate Change Atlas was completed on a continental scale.

Breeding Bird Atlas

Atlas I Blocks
16
Atlas II Blocks
48
Percent of state occupied - Atlas I
2
Percent of state occupied - Atlas II
5
Percent change
286

Breeding Bird Survey

Annual trend 1966-2010
-5.1%
P-value
significant, declining
Number of routes
9
Recent trend 2000-2010
-5.3%

Christmas Bird Count

Trend (1963-2008)
-5.4
Significantly different than zero
yes
Trend (1963-1979)
6
Significantly different than zero
no
Trend (1979-2008)
-6
Significantly different than zero
yes
Christmas Bird Count Sightings By Year
Data reflects sightings per person per hour in order to account for varying numbers of yearly volunteers.

Habitat Usage

Breeding

Coastal, Forested Wetland, Rivers, Lakes, and Ponds

Wintering

Coastal, Rivers, Lakes, and Ponds, Urban and Suburban