Nycticorax
| Nycticorax | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Nycticorax | ||||||||||
| Forster , 1817 |
The Nycticorax are a genus of herons that belong to the night heron tribe . The name "Nycticorax" is derived from the Greek for " night raven " and refers to the foraging of these herons, which takes place mainly at night. The night heron, the best-known species of this genus in Europe, also has a raven-like, rough reputation.
Appearance
The Nycticorax herons are medium-sized herons. Their close relationship is particularly evident in juvenile birds. The young birds of all three species have longitudinal stripes on their wings. The similarity between young birds of the species red-backed heron and night heron is particularly pronounced. In these two species there is a pronounced pattern of spots in longitudinal stripes on the entire body plumage.
All three species have a black skull with a white crest. The white-backed heron and the night heron have predominantly gray plumage and reddish irises. The red-backed heron deviates from this with a chestnut brown back and wings. The neck and head sides, on the other hand, are ocher colored.
Distribution area
The night heron has the largest range of the three recent species. It occurs in the temperate and tropical zones in North and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia. The distribution area of the red-backed heron is in Indonesia, New Guinea, the Philippines, Palau, Micronesia, New Caledonia, the Bismarck Archipelago, the Solomon Islands, Australia and New Zealand. The white-backed heron, on the other hand, occurs in sub-Saharan Africa. It is a solitary heron whose habitat is restricted to tropical forests. The red-backed heron, on the other hand, is a relatively adaptable species that has also developed urban habitats. The night heron is also an extremely adaptable species and breeds in Chile at an altitude of 4,800 meters. It occurs very often in habitats that are heavily influenced by humans. He finds up to 96 percent of his food in areas with rice fields. While the white-backed heron is a resident bird, parts of the population of both the night and red-backed herons migrate after the breeding season.
Systematics
In the past, the herons of the genera Nyctanassa and Gorsachius were also included in the genus Nycticorax . Today, however, there is a consensus that these species should be assigned to their own genera. A total of three recent species belong to the genus. Several species are now extinct:
- Night heron ( Nycticorax nycticorax )
- Red-backed heron ( Nycticorax caledonicus )
- White-backed Heron ( Nycticorax leuconotus )
- † Ascension night heron ( Nycticorax olsoni )
- † Mauritius night heron ( Nycticorax mauritanus )
- † Rodrigues night heron ( Nycticorax megacephalus )
- † Niue night heron ( Nycticorax kalavikai )
Eponyms
In 1999 the asteroid (8753) Nycticorax was named after the genus.
supporting documents
Single receipts
- ↑ Kushlan et al., P. 262
- ↑ Minor Planet Circ. 33792
literature
- James A. Kushlan, James A. Hancock, illustrated by David Thelwell: The Herons . In: Bird families of the world . tape 14 . Oxford University Press , Oxford 2005, ISBN 0-19-854981-4 .
