Bird Photos: Juvenile Night Heron Developing Adult Plumage

Black-crowned night-herons (Nycticorax nycticotax) change plenty.

The young juveniles are more brown and spotted grey in color.

 As they mature, the bird becomes black and white.

When they are fully developed adults the white undercarriage is much more distinct.

These birds showed up around 5PM tonight just as, I was ready to head home.

The were fooling around like a couple of teenagers.

A few quick shots and, I left them alone.

More about these birds may be seen at ARKive

Bird Photo: Black-crowned Night-Heron Juvenile

Latin Name: Nycticorax nycticorax

 

 

 

 

 

In Japan, this bird is known as Goisagi (ゴイサギ) and, they are found worldwide.

According to ARKive, they breed on all continents, except Antarctica and Australasia. 

They search for most of their food during evenings, using their excellent night vision.

During mating season, competition for food, may cause them to hunt during daylight.

This bird had just been chased off by another juvenile prior to being photographed.

The territorial dispute seemed to be over a location where, fish were jumping out of the water.

Camera: Pentax K3

Lens: Pentax DA F4 300mm

Exposure: f/7.1  1/80   ISO 100

Date and Time:  May 16, 2015  4:37PM

Location: Kin Town, Okinawa, Japan N 26 25.533  E 127 56.104 

Additional Resources for the Night Heron:

A Guide to the Wild Birds of Okinawa P.30 ISBN4-916224-11-6

All About Birds The Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Avibase

Wildlife Photo:Juvenile Grey-faced Buzzard Eagle

This bird was spotted in Kin Village, Okinawa, Japan today.

Learn more about the Buzzard Eagle (Butastur indicus) on this excellent site:

Birding in Taiwan

Visit my homepage for today's Feature Photo

Wildlife Photos: Okinawa Rail an Endangered Species

The Okinawa Rail ( Gallirallus okinawae ) is better known locally as a Yanbaru Kuina.  This photo, of an adult Kuina, was taken at Ada Kunigami Okinawa, Japan on July 31, 2001 shortly before 7AM.

These birds are practically flightless but, when they get spooked, will run pretty fast and be out of sight quicker than you can focus on them.  They live in areas where plenty of broad-leafed vegetation grows and fresh water is available.  They eat bugs, lizzards and snails.  The Okinawa Rail's enemies are snakes, the Mongoose and idiots who drive too fast along the mountain roads.

Here is a photo of a juvenile Yanbaru Kuina.  I'm including it so everyone knows what they look like, too.  The adults are much easier to identify because of the bright colored beak and they get all the attention on posters warning people to look out for them.  

When driving around in the northern areas of Okinawa look out for the little guys, too. 

If they get squished the Okinawa Rail won't be an Endangered Species, anymore.  They'll be extinct !

REFERENCE:

ARKive