WILDLIFE IN DELAWARE YELLOW CROWN HERON.

WILDLIFE IN DELAWARE

YELLOW CROWN NIGHT HERON

The yellow crown night heron takes to both salt and fresh water marshes in Delaware,

and even though it is called a night heron it does feed in the daytime on occasion.

A yellow crown night heron is usually 24 inches long, the yellow head crest starts at the

base of it's beak over the top of it's black feathered head to several long tapering plumage.

The beak is also black. It has a bluish gray feathered body with darker markings on the

back and wing coverts.  

It nest in spring, builds a nest looking like a platform out of twigs and sticks, in trees, in

swampy marsh areas. They migrate to North Carolina south to breed.

The Yellow Crown Night Heron feeds on shellfish, mussels, crabs which are exposed at low

tides. The freshwater crayfish and minnows make up the bulk of their feeding.

Abstract: Friday, May 12, 1972, Wilmington Morning News , “Wildlife in Delaware” by

Joseph Pankowski.