[dakso99]

Hi! This is my first day here and I found you by searching for this hilarious bird that loves my pool & deck. He just stares at me & sits on the chairs and volleyball net & swings back & forth. Is it a juv. yellow crowned night heron? This is the closest match I can find- the eyes are turning red now & the beak has a light band before the black. They eat those ugly horned beetles and come back for mid-summer every year.

Thanks so much! I love this place!

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Dakso,

Welcome to BirdForum!

Nearly right - I'd say you have a juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron. The white spotting on the wings is a character of this species, whereas Yellow-crowned only has tiny white spots. Also the pale base to the beak is right for Black-crowned, wrong for Yellow-crowned (all-black bill)

Lucky you!

Michael

[Michael Frankis]

Hmmm . . . now I'm not so sure after all!

The neck is long and thin - that's right for Yellow-crowned, not so good for Black-crowned! Maybe it is Yellow-crowned after all.

Michael

[Mark D]

Howdo,

I think it is a Yellow-crowned due to the lower mandible colour, & the neck length.

Mark

[dakso99]

Thanks so much guys! The black-crowned looked shorter & stockier in pics, I can't believe what the mature bird looks like! I hope he keeps coming as an adult!

Dawn

[Katy Penland]

I think it's also a yellow-crowned. Even at full hunting stretch, I've never seen a black-crowned's neck that long. This guy's neck looks relaxed and is still quite long. And as has already been pointed out, the neck is quite slender. Black-crowneds to me are overall just a much stockier bird. At least the b-cs in CA compared to the y-cs in Mexico.

Hope he hangs around, too! And welcome to the forum. Isn't this just the coolest place? Well, I think so, anyway! :-)

Katy

[IanF]

Hi Dawn,

Glad we got the ID sorted out. It's certainly an unusual and striking bird to have as a yard visitor.

On behalf of Admin and the Moderators, I like to welcome you to Bird Forum. I hope that you like the site. Feel free to hang around a while and browse through the site. We have briders from throughout the World.

This month we're running a fun competition for the most humorous bird photo and it sounds as if your visitor may be an ideal subject.

See you around.

[dakso99]

Thanks so much everyone! I wish my husband loved birds as much as I do- I have a sparrow in my yard that has nested 4 times already in my bird house & I talk to the babies when I am outside. They stick their heads out and peep at me all day. Birds are just the most innocent and beautiful animals! Of course I have an African Grey for a few years now that adores my husband- Anyway, again this place is great!

Dawn