Category
A
Status
Vagrant
Breeding status
First Record
1953
Last Recorded
1997

Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax


Night Heron photographed at Vale Pond [VAL] on 6/6/2023. Photo: © Dave Carre
  Night Heron photographed at Vale Pond [VAL] on 6/6/2023 Photo: © Dave Carre (visit site)

The Black-crowned Night Heron is an extremely widespread species with populations spanning much of North and South America, Eurasia and Africa. The populations in temperate areas are migratory and European breeding birds winter in Africa. In northern Europe, Night Herons are a typical spring overshooting migrant

Night Herons are a vagrant to the Bailiwick. The nearest breeding colonies to Guernsey are in southern Brittany and the pattern of occurrence follows the pattern seen in the UK with most records in the spring and fewer in autumn.

1953: One shot near Cobo 10th September

1970: A first year bird was picked up exhausted at Fort Doyle 27th April. Released the following day at the Track Marais.

1973: Adult at Maraitaine Quarry,Vale 12th-13th May. Believed to have been present since early April.

1988: Adult Paradis, Vale. 2nd April.

1990: Twelve at Pulias Pond 15th March at 6pm was followed by 14 flying over Courtil de Bas at 6.45pm. It seems that within a few days these birds dispersed over the island with reports from Bellefleur Quarry, La Grande Mare, the Dell Nursery and Rousse. A bird remained at Rue des Pres, St Peters until 3rd May.

1997: Immature at the Dell Nursery 25th-26th August.



View all photos (5)
Night Heron photographed at Vale Pond [VAL] on 6/6/2023. Photo: © Dave Carre
Night Heron photographed at Vale Pond [VAL] on 6/6/2023. Photo: © Dave Carre (visit site)

Night Heron photographed at Vale Pond [VAL] on 4/6/2023. Photo: © Rod Ferbrache
Night Heron photographed at Vale Pond [VAL] on 4/6/2023. Photo: © Rod Ferbrache (visit site)

Night Heron photographed at Rousse [ROU] on 13/4/2023. Photo: © Dave Carre
Night Heron photographed at Rousse [ROU] on 13/4/2023. Photo: © Dave Carre (visit site)

Night Heron photographed at Rousse [ROU] on 13/4/2023. Photo: © Mark Lawlor
Night Heron photographed at Rousse [ROU] on 13/4/2023. Photo: © Mark Lawlor (visit site)

Night Heron photographed at Rousse [ROU] on 13/4/2023. Photo: © Dave Carre
Night Heron photographed at Rousse [ROU] on 13/4/2023. Photo: © Dave Carre (visit site)



View database records (16)
Night Heron Courtil de Bas, STS 15/3/1993 1
Night Heron Dell Nursery 25/8/1997 26/8/1997 1
Night-heron Braye Bay 29/6/2019 2
Night-heron Rousse [ROU] 13/4/2023 1
Night-heron Rousse [ROU] 13/4/2023 1
Night-heron Rousse [ROU] 13/4/2023 1
Night-heron Rousse [ROU] 13/4/2023 1
Night-heron Rousse [ROU] 13/4/2023 1
Night-heron Rousse [ROU] 13/4/2023 1
Night-heron Vale Pond [VAL] 4/6/2023 1
Night-heron Vale Pond [VAL] 4/6/2023 1
Night-heron Vale Pond [VAL] 4/6/2023 1
Night-heron Vale Pond [VAL] 4/6/2023 1
Night-heron Vale Pond [VAL] 4/6/2023 1
Night-heron Vale Pond [VAL] 6/6/2023 1
Night-heron Vale Pond [VAL] 6/6/2023 1