Data Zone
Taxonomic source(s)
AERC TAC. 2003. AERC TAC Checklist of bird taxa occurring in Western Palearctic region, 15th Draft. Available at: http://www.aerc.eu/DOCS/Bird_taxa_of_the_WP15.xls.
Christidis, L. and Boles, W.E. 2008. Systematics and Taxonomy of Australian Birds. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Australia.
Cramp, S. and Simmons, K.E.L. (eds). 1977-1994. Handbook of the birds of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The birds of the western Palearctic. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
SACC. 2005 and updates. A classification of the bird species of South America. Available at: https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm.
| Critically Endangered | Endangered | Vulnerable |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
| Year | Category | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Least Concern | |
| 2012 | Least Concern | |
| 2009 | Least Concern | |
| 2008 | Least Concern | |
| 2004 | Least Concern | |
| 2000 | Lower Risk/Least Concern | |
| 1994 | Lower Risk/Least Concern | |
| 1988 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
| Migratory status | full migrant | Forest dependency | low |
| Land-mass type | Average mass | 810 g |
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) | 248,000,000 km2 | medium |
| Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding) | 233,000,000 km2 | medium |
| Severely fragmented? | no | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population size | unknown | poor | estimated | 2012 |
| Population trend | decreasing | - | suspected | - |
| Generation length | 8.8 years | - | - | - |
Population justification: The global population is estimated to number c.570,000-3,730,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2015). The European population is estimated at 60,000-86,100 pairs, which equates to 120,000-172,000 mature individuals (BirdLife International 2015). National population estimates include: c.100,000-1 million breeding pairs, >c.10,000 individuals on migration and >c.10,000 wintering individuals in China; c.100,000-1 million breeding pairs in Taiwan; c.10,000-100,000 breeding pairs and c.50-1,000 wintering individuals in Korea and c.10,000-100,000 breeding pairs and c.1,000-10,000 individuals on migration in Japan (Brazil 2009).
Trend justification: The overall population trend is stable, although some populations may be increasing or have unknown trends (Wetlands International 2015). This species has undergone a large and statistically significant increase over the last 40 years in North America (294% increase over 40 years, equating to a 40.8% increase per decade; data from Breeding Bird Survey and/or Christmas Bird Count: Butcher and Niven 2007) Note, however, that these surveys cover less than 50% of the species's range in North America. The European population is estimated to be decreasing (BirdLife International 2015).
| Country/Territory | Presence | Origin | Resident | Breeding visitor | Non-breeding visitor | Passage migrant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | extant | native | yes | |||
| Albania | extant | native | yes | |||
| Algeria | extant | native | ||||
| Angola | extant | native | ||||
| Anguilla (to UK) | extant | native | ||||
| Antigua and Barbuda | extant | native | ||||
| Argentina | extant | native | ||||
| Armenia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Aruba (to Netherlands) | extant | native | ||||
| Australia | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Austria | extant | native | yes | |||
| Azerbaijan | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Bahamas | extant | native | ||||
| Bahrain | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Bangladesh | extant | native | ||||
| Barbados | extant | native | ||||
| Belarus | extant | native | yes | |||
| Belgium | extant | native | yes | |||
| Belize | extant | native | yes | |||
| Benin | extant | native | ||||
| Bermuda (to UK) | extant | native | ||||
| Bhutan | extant | native | ||||
| Bolivia | extant | native | ||||
| Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (to Netherlands) | extant | native | ||||
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | extant | native | yes | |||
| Botswana | extant | native | yes | |||
| Brazil | extant | native | ||||
| Brunei | extant | native | ||||
| Bulgaria | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Burkina Faso | extant | native | ||||
| Burundi | extant | native | ||||
| Cambodia | extant | native | ||||
| Cameroon | extant | native | ||||
| Canada | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Cape Verde | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Cayman Islands (to UK) | extant | native | ||||
| Central African Republic | extant | native | ||||
| Chad | extant | native | ||||
| Chile | extant | native | ||||
| China (mainland) | extant | native | ||||
| Cocos (Keeling) Islands (to Australia) | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Colombia | extant | native | ||||
| Comoros | extant | native | ||||
| Congo | extant | native | ||||
| Congo, The Democratic Republic of the | extant | native | ||||
| Costa Rica | extant | native | yes | |||
| Côte d'Ivoire | extant | native | ||||
| Croatia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Cuba | extant | native | ||||
| Curaçao (to Netherlands) | extant | native | ||||
| Cyprus | extant | native | yes | |||
| Czechia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Denmark | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Djibouti | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Dominica | extant | native | ||||
| Dominican Republic | extant | native | ||||
| Ecuador | extant | native | ||||
| Egypt | extant | native | ||||
| El Salvador | extant | native | ||||
| Equatorial Guinea | extant | native | ||||
| Eritrea | extant | native | ||||
| Eswatini | extant | native | ||||
| Ethiopia | extant | native | ||||
| Falkland Islands (Malvinas) | extant | native | ||||
| Faroe Islands (to Denmark) | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Finland | extant | vagrant | ||||
| France | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| French Guiana | extant | native | ||||
| French Southern Territories | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Gabon | extant | native | ||||
| Gambia | extant | native | ||||
| Georgia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Germany | extant | native | yes | |||
| Ghana | extant | native | ||||
| Gibraltar (to UK) | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Greece | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Greenland (to Denmark) | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Grenada | extant | native | ||||
| Guadeloupe (to France) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Guam (to USA) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Guatemala | extant | native | ||||
| Guinea | extant | native | ||||
| Guinea-Bissau | extant | native | yes | |||
| Guyana | extant | native | ||||
| Haiti | extant | native | ||||
| Honduras | extant | native | ||||
| Hong Kong (China) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Hungary | extant | native | yes | |||
| Iceland | extant | vagrant | ||||
| India | extant | native | ||||
| Indonesia | extant | native | ||||
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Iraq | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Ireland | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Israel | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Italy | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Jamaica | extant | native | yes | |||
| Japan | extant | native | ||||
| Jordan | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Kazakhstan | extant | native | yes | |||
| Kenya | extant | native | ||||
| Kuwait | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Kyrgyzstan | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Laos | extant | native | ||||
| Lebanon | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Lesotho | extant | native | ||||
| Liberia | extant | native | ||||
| Libya | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Liechtenstein | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Luxembourg | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Macao (China) | extant | native | ||||
| Madagascar | extant | native | ||||
| Malawi | extant | native | ||||
| Malaysia | extant | native | ||||
| Maldives | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Mali | extant | native | ||||
| Malta | extant | native | ||||
| Martinique (to France) | extant | native | ||||
| Mauritania | extant | native | ||||
| Mayotte (to France) | extant | native | ||||
| Mexico | extant | native | ||||
| Micronesia, Federated States of | extant | native | yes | |||
| Moldova | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Mongolia | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Montenegro | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Montserrat (to UK) | extant | native | ||||
| Morocco | extant | native | ||||
| Mozambique | extant | native | ||||
| Myanmar | extant | native | ||||
| Namibia | extant | native | ||||
| Nepal | extant | native | ||||
| Netherlands | extant | native | yes | |||
| Nicaragua | extant | native | ||||
| Niger | extant | native | ||||
| Nigeria | extant | native | ||||
| North Korea | extant | vagrant | ||||
| North Macedonia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Northern Mariana Islands (to USA) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Norway | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Oman | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Pakistan | extant | native | ||||
| Palau | extant | native | yes | |||
| Palestine | extant | native | yes | |||
| Panama | extant | native | ||||
| Paraguay | extant | native | ||||
| Peru | extant | native | ||||
| Philippines | extant | native | ||||
| Poland | extant | native | yes | |||
| Portugal | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Puerto Rico (to USA) | extant | native | ||||
| Qatar | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Romania | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Russia | extant | native | yes | yes | yes | |
| Russia (Asian) | extant | vagrant | yes | |||
| Russia (European) | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Rwanda | extant | native | ||||
| São Tomé e Príncipe | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Saudi Arabia | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Senegal | extant | native | yes | |||
| Serbia | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Seychelles | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Sierra Leone | extant | native | ||||
| Singapore | extant | native | ||||
| Slovakia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Slovenia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Somalia | extant | native | ||||
| South Africa | extant | native | yes | |||
| South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands | extant | native | ||||
| South Korea | extant | native | ||||
| South Sudan | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Spain | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Sri Lanka | extant | native | ||||
| St Barthelemy (to France) | extant | native | ||||
| St Helena (to UK) | extant | vagrant | ||||
| St Kitts and Nevis | extant | native | ||||
| St Lucia | extant | native | ||||
| St Pierre and Miquelon (to France) | extant | vagrant | yes | |||
| St Vincent and the Grenadines | extant | native | ||||
| Sudan | extant | native | ||||
| Suriname | extant | native | ||||
| Sweden | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Switzerland | extant | native | yes | |||
| Syria | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Taiwan, China | extant | native | ||||
| Tajikistan | extant | native | yes | |||
| Tanzania | extant | native | yes | |||
| Thailand | extant | native | ||||
| Timor-Leste | extant | native | yes | |||
| Togo | extant | native | ||||
| Trinidad and Tobago | extant | native | ||||
| Tunisia | extant | native | ||||
| Türkiye | extant | native | yes | |||
| Turkmenistan | extant | native | yes | |||
| Turks and Caicos Islands (to UK) | extant | native | ||||
| Uganda | extant | native | ||||
| Ukraine | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| United Arab Emirates | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| United Kingdom | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Uruguay | extant | native | yes | |||
| USA | extant | native | yes | |||
| Uzbekistan | extant | native | yes | |||
| Venezuela | extant | native | ||||
| Vietnam | extant | native | ||||
| Virgin Islands (to UK) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Virgin Islands (to USA) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Western Sahara | extant | native | ||||
| Yemen | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Zambia | extant | native | ||||
| Zimbabwe | extant | native |
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forest | Subtropical/Tropical Mangrove Vegetation Above High Tide Level | suitable | breeding |
| Forest | Subtropical/Tropical Mangrove Vegetation Above High Tide Level | suitable | non-breeding |
| Forest | Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland | suitable | breeding |
| Forest | Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Salt Marshes (Emergent Grasses) | suitable | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands | suitable | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) | suitable | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls) | suitable | breeding |
| Altitude | 0 - 4800 m | Occasional altitudinal limits | (min) 750 m |
| Purpose | Scale |
|---|---|
| Food - human | subsistence, national |
| Other household goods | subsistence, national |
| Pets/display animals, horticulture | subsistence, national |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/black-crowned-night-heron-nycticorax-nycticorax on 22/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 22/11/2024.