Yellow-crown Night Herons are found throughout Florida, but we don’t often see them actually nesting in our local wetlands.
This spring, however, there were three different breeding pairs nesting high up over the mile-long boardwalk!
“Nests are constructed by both birds, but it is more the case that the male gathers sticks and the female works to put them together.” (Heron Conservation – there is LOTS MORE info about Yellow-crown Night Herons on this site, and on All About Birds)
Despite their forays to collect sticks and small branches, Yellow-crown Night Herons here have a bit of a reputation for abandoning their nests before laying any eggs. Though I would love to see chicks, I won’t be surprised if we don’t.😌
Birder's Journey 
I love the Black-crowns. Crazy habits like ‘licking their lips’ which of course they don’t have lips. But they flick their tongue all around their bill. Also they drop twigs in the water to stir up minnows. Really fun to watch.
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Even though these are yellow-crowns, I also love the black-crowns and we see them here very often too. Though I must say I’ve never noticed the cool behaviors you describe ….. I’m going to pay closer attention next time!
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Oh, Heron bold with crown of gold 👑🦩, You nest aloft, defying cold 🌴🏞️. In Florida’s wetlands you take your flight ☀️🌿, Building nests at daring height! 🏗️🌳
A mile-long boardwalk, wooden spanned 🌉🚶, Three noble pairs have made their stand 👩❤️👨🦩. The male collects with frantic grace 🌲🔄, While she assembles—stick by place 🏗️🪵.
Ah, domestic bliss among the trees 🌲💑, Building homes in arboreal ease 🏡🌿. Yet fickle fate, it seems to play 🎲🦩, For Herons sometimes fly away! 🚀❌
They flirt with branches, leaves, and twine 🌿🌺, Yet nest abandonment, they don’t mind 😌🚫. No eggs to hatch, no chicks to cheer 🥚❌, They simply vanish year by year! 👻💨
Dear Mother Birder, chronicler grand 📸✍️, You’ve seen their flight and nest unplanned 🦩🌌. Would that I, too, could build so high 📐🏗️, And vanish swiftly when things go awry! 😅💨
So here’s to you and Heron flight 🦩✨, May boardwalks bring you pure delight 🌅🌾. For where you stroll, nests rise and fall 🏞️🔄, A marshland drama—you’ve seen it all! 🎭🌿
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What a terrific description, Yishai! Thank you for your colorful and always witty and poetic responses!☀️
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What a treat to see them nesting! 😊
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Thanks for stopping by, Pepper! It really was…. Though their nest sites were partially hidden among the highest branches, it was fun to see their activity.
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Beautiful captures of a beautiful bird BJ. You did well capturing the night heron nesting.
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Thanks, AB! I hope you’re having a lovely autumn and wish you many more days of excellent birding ☀️
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I do hope you get to see some little ones. As I’ve state before, I stink at finding nests, and have to enjoy them vicariously. 😉
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These nests would probably be impossible to find if other people hadn’t seen them first and pointed them out!
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I love all types of night herons I love their stature, and their stillness as they perch.
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I do too, Berny! But these two, slow-moving as they were, were the most active I’ve ever seen adult night herons during the daytime. ☀️
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Lovely birds and photos! We only have black-crowned night herons here.
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Thank you, Belinda! That’s so interesting that you only have the black-crowned, but not the yellow-crowned. Since we have both, I never thought about the fact that they don’t always share the same habitats.
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Nice shots!
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Thank you!
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