The yellow-crowned night heron is one of two species of night herons found in the Americas. It is distinguished by its soft purple-gray colors, sharp black-and-white face, and long yellow plumes. Like many heron species, it stalks prey in shallow waters by wading or perching. Its preferred diet includes crustaceans leaning heavily on crabs and crayfish, which they catch with a lunge, then shake apart or swallow whole. They’re most common in coastal marshes, barrier islands, and mangroves, but their range extends inland to the Midwest.

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