Black-crowned Night Heron (Juvenile)

Description:

At least 2 different species of herons were gathered in the rapids above Niagara Falls. In the second picture you can clearly see a Great Blue Heron to the left of this juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron and to the right more juvenile Night Heron (I can't tell if they are all Black-crowned as well or if some are Yellow-crowned) the bird the furthest to the right almost looks like a bittern, but I think it's slightly older than the other juveniles. Immature birds have dull grey-brown plumage on their heads, wings, and backs, with numerous pale spots. Their underparts are paler and streaked with brown. The young birds have orange eyes and duller yellowish-green legs.

Habitat:

The breeding habitat is fresh and salt-water wetlands throughout much of the world. The subspecies N. n. hoactli breeds in North and South America from Canada as far south as northern Argentina and Chile.

Notes:

Spotted in the rapids around Three Sisters Island above Niagara Falls.