Friday's Foto

The scientific name for the Black-crowned Night Heron is "nycticorax", meaning night raven. They are the world's most common heron species and are active primarily at dusk and nighttime. I found this bird on Prospect Lake in Brooklyn trying to stay cool during a recent heat wave by roosting in the shade and panting with its bill open. During the summer months I frequently observe individuals flying up from the harbor and into Prospect Park as the sun is setting. Another location in Brooklyn to find this species and the related Yellow-crowned Night Heron is Calvert Vaux Park.