
Black-crowned Night Heron
The black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), commonly shortened to just night heron in Eurasia, is a medium-sized heron found throughout a large part of the world, except in the coldest regions and Australasia (where it is replaced by the closely related rufous night heron, with which it has hybridized in the area of contact).
Species insights
Recorded year-round
Recorded in every month, so no month is the wrong month to look. We would rather say that than invent a best time.
Curve from 1,012 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.
Western Cape and beyond
Provinces where Black-crowned Night Heron is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
1,012 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Black-crowned Night Heron
Stays that give back
Across the Eastern Cape
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Nama-Karoo biome
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa and 1 other
From R 1,760 a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Nama-Karoo biome
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa
From R 1,200 a night
Black-crowned Night Heron recorded here · Albany Thicket biome · Lion · Leopard
Price on request
Black-crowned Night Heron recorded here · Albany Thicket biome · Lion · Leopard
Price on request
Black-crowned Night Heron recorded here · Albany Thicket biome · Lion · Leopard
Price on request
Black-crowned Night Heron recorded here · Albany Thicket biome · Lion · Leopard
Price on request
Black-crowned Night Heron recorded here · Albany Thicket biome · Lion · Leopard
Price on request
Fynbos biome · Spekboom
Gives back to National Sea Rescue Institute
From R 2,460 a night
Birder friendly · Fynbos biome · Giraffe · Impala
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa
From R 485 a night
Albany Thicket biome · Black backed jackal · Bushbuck
Gives back to Wilderness Foundation Africa
From R 2,600 a night
Albany Thicket biome · Spekboom
Gives back to National Sea Rescue Institute
From R 1,050 a night
From R 12,950 a night
Albany Thicket biome · Black wildebeest · Blesbok
Gives back to Endangered Wildlife Trust
From R 11,592 a night
Nama-Karoo biome · Spekboom
Gives back to Endangered Wildlife Trust
From R 3,100 a night
Albany Thicket biome · Lion · Spekboom
Gives back to Endangered Wildlife Trust
From R 4,000 a night
Albany Thicket biome · Leopard · Lion
Gives back to Endangered Wildlife Trust
From R 2,000 a night
Birder friendly · Grassland biome
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa
From R 600 a night
Forest biome · Arum lily · Krantz aloe
From R 457 a night
Grassland biome · Black wildebeest · Springbok
From R 449 a night
Albany Thicket biome · Spekboom
From R 2,093 a night
Birder friendly · Fynbos biome · Spekboom
Gives back to Wilderness Foundation Africa
Price on request
Albany Thicket biome · Black backed jackal · Spotted hyena
From R 1,490 a night
Albany Thicket biome · Blesbok · Springbok
From R 345 a night
Nama-Karoo biome · Spekboom
Gives back to Boundless
Price on request
Forests, lagoons, and Knysna's sheltered bay
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Black-crowned Night Heron
Hosts have recorded the Black-crowned Night Heron at stays in or beside Kwandwe Private Game Reserve.
Best hours of the day
- Dusk and after dark. Listen for calls; a torch at camp or a night drive works best.
- Daytime. Roosting, well hidden.
Ways to look
Guided drives from a lodge
A guide who knows where to look, with off-road and night drives in the private reserves.
Where hosts record it
Species
Nycticorax nycticorax
Records
1,012
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Black-crowned Night Heron on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Black-crowned Night Heron in Eastern Cape?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Black-crowned Night Heron at stays in or beside Kwandwe Private Game Reserve. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Black-crowned Night Heron in South Africa?
The Black-crowned Night Heron is most recorded in Western Cape (58% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (11% of records), Mpumalanga (9% of records), based on 1,012 iNaturalist observations. 7 places to stay on Spekboom in Eastern Cape have recorded the Black-crowned Night Heron on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Black-crowned Night Heron?
The Black-crowned Night Heron is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Kwandwe Private Game Reserve: year-round, best Mar-May, Sep-Nov. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Black-crowned Night Heron?
The black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), commonly shortened to just night heron in Eurasia, is a medium-sized heron found throughout a large part of the world, except in the coldest regions and Australasia (where it is replaced by the closely related rufous night heron, with which it has hybridized in the area of contact).
























