Nycticorax
Night Heron
The Nycticorax are a heron genus belonging to the tribe of the Night Heron. The name " Nycticorax " derives from the Greek for " night raven " and refers to the predominantly takes place at night foraging this heron. The Night Heron, the best known species of this genus in Europe, also has a raven like rough reputation.
Appearance
The Heron Nycticorax are medium-sized heron. Their close relationship is particularly visible in juvenile birds. The young birds have patchy longitudinal stripes on the wings of all three species. Especially pronounced is the similarity between young birds of species Rotrückenreiher and night herons. In these two species there is a distinct spot pattern in longitudinal stripes on the entire body plumage.
All three species have a black skull with a white top tuft. The white-backed herons and night herons have reddish iris and a predominantly gray plumage. The Rotrückenreiher notwithstanding, has a maroon back and just such wings. Neck and sides of the head are ocher against it.
Distribution area
The Night Heron has the widest distribution among the three extant species. He comes in the temperate and tropical zone off in North and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia. The distribution area of Rotrückenreihers located in Indonesia, New Guinea, the Philippines, Palau, Micronesia, New Caledonia, the Bismarck Archipelago, the Solomon Islands, Australia and New Zealand. The white-backed heron, however, comes in Africa south of the Sahara before. He is a solitary heron, which is limited in its habitat on tropical forests. The Rotrückenreiher hand, is a relatively adaptable type, which has also opened up urban environments. Also, the night heron is a very adaptable species and breeds in Chile even at altitudes of 4,800 meters. He very frequently occurs in habitats that are strongly influenced by humans. So he finds in areas with rice fields where up to 96 percent of its food. While the white-backed heron is a sedentary bird, pull both at night and during Rotrückenreiher parts of the population after the breeding season.
System
Previously, the herons of the genera Nyctanassa and Gorsachius to the genus Nycticorax were counted. Today, however, there is consensus that these modes are assigned to their own species. A total of three extant species belong to the genus. Several species have become extinct:
- Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax )
- Rotrückenreiher (Nycticorax caledonicus )
- White-backed heron ( Nycticorax leuconotus )
- † Ascension Night Heron (Nycticorax Olsoni )
- † Mauritius Night Heron (Nycticorax mauritanus )
- † Rodrigues Night Heron (Nycticorax megacephalus )
- † Niue Night-Heron ( Nycticorax kalavikai )