Black Crowned Night Heron

These herons typically hunt at dusk as the sun disappears below the horizon. An attractive bird, they sport two white plumes trailing from its crown during breeding season. They feed with the stand-and-wait method, waiting to ambush prey in the shallows from shorelines. While many people think that the Black-Crowned Night Heron has a short thick neck, my photo below seems to discount that belief. In fact, they are able to stretch their necks out reminiscent of others in the heron family. The panhandle is in their breeding/summer range.

This heron displays its white plumes during breeding time.

Seemingly admiring himself, this Black-Crowned Night Heron assumes his hunting stance.

For some reason, this heron (bottom right) chases off a Snowy Egret.

Apparently rarely seen doing it, the Black-Crowned Night Heron can extend its neck, much like others in the heron family.

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Snowy Egret

The Snowy Egret is very similar to the Great Egret (below), but the Snowy is much smaller. It also has a black bill, whereas the Great Egret has a yellow bill. The Snowy Egret has a yellow or reddish patch between the eye and bill (called "lores"), where the Great Egret doesn't. Both are waders and have the same "stand-and-wait" fishing method.