Diet

• Primarily fish, frogs, crayfish, crabs, shrimp, aquatic insects, worms, and other aquatic invertebrates.

• Also feeds on small mammals, reptiles, birds, eggs, and nestlings when the opportunity arises.

• Hunts mainly at dusk and night, although it often feeds during the day in shaded areas or while raising young.

Range

• One of the world's most widespread herons, found throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and parts of South America.

• In Mexico, it occurs throughout the country, including the Zihuatanejo region, where it is a year-round resident, supplemented by winter migrants from farther north.

• Inhabits marshes, mangroves, rivers, lakes, ponds, estuaries, coastal lagoons, mudflats, and other freshwater and coastal wetlands.

• Often roosts communally in trees during the day.

Male / Female

• Male: Black crown and back, pale grey wings, white to pale gray underparts, red eyes, stout black bill, and (during the breeding season) two or three long white plumes extending from the back of the head. Slightly larger than the female.

• Female: Very similar in appearance but generally slightly smaller and with shorter breeding plumes.

• Juveniles: Brown with heavy white spotting above and streaking below, lacking the striking black-and-grey adult plumage.

• Sexes cannot be reliably distinguished in the field except by subtle size differences.

Size

• Length: 58–65 cm (23–26 in)

• Wingspan: 105–112 cm (41–44 in)

• Weight: 700–1,100 g (1.5–2.4 lb)