Nycticorax is a genus of night herons. The name Nycticorax means "night raven" and derives from the Ancient Greek νύκτος, nuktos "night" and κοραξ, korax, "raven". It 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.
Nycticorax
Stuffed night heron in the American Museum of Natural History
Image: Black crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) RWD2
Image: Nycticorax caledonicus Sydney Olympic Park
Black-crowned night heron
The black-crowned night-heron, or black-capped night-heron, commonly shortened to just night-heron in Eurasia, is a medium-sized heron found throughout a large part of the world, including parts of Europe, Asia, and North and South America. In Australasia it is replaced by the closely related nankeen night-heron, with which it has hybridized in the area of contact.
A night-heron building a nest.
Juvenile in an "upright" threat display
Egg
N. n. hoactli, Tobago