John Chan / Juvenile Yellow-crowned night heron (Nyctanassa violacea)predating a twig, learning stalking and hunting skills, Southern California, USA, July.

Tui De Roy / Yellow-crowned night heron (Nyctanassa / Nyctanassa violacea) portrait. Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, June.

Tim Laman / Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) standing on lava rock. Santiago Island, Galapagos

John Chan / Juvenile Yellow-crowned night heron (Nyctanassa violacea) catching a Striped shore crab (Pachygrapsus crassipes), Southern California, USA, July.

John Chan / Juvenile Yellow-crowned night heron (Nyctanassa violacea) catching a Striped shore crab (Pachygrapsus crassipes), Southern California, USA, July.

Lynn M. Stone / Dunes and vegetative cover along Tampa Bay with tracks of Yellow-crowned night heron (Nyctanassa violacea) a predator of Ghost Crabs (Ocypodinae) that live in dune burrows), Muillet Key, St. Petersbur...

Tui De Roy / Yellow-crowned night herons (Nyctanasa violacea) adult and juvenile, Puerto Egas, Santiago Island, Galapagos

Roy Mangersnes / Yellow-crowned night-heron (Nyctanassa violacea) portrait on Genovesa, Galapagos.

Roy Mangersnes / Yellow-crowned night-heron (Nyctanassa violacea) portrait on Genovesa, Galapagos.

Lynn M. Stone / Yellow-crowned night heron (Nyctanassa violacea) stalking ghost crabs on sand dune. Mullet Key, Tampa Bay, St, Petersburg, Florida, USA.

Robin Chittenden / Yellow-crowned night heron (Nyctanassa violacea) Trinidad and Tobago, April

George Sanker / Yellow crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) with prey in beak, Tampa Bay, Florida, USA.