Bird
Black-crowned Night-heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
Lives in Arkansas all year and nests here. Found in all 75 counties, across 12 habitats.
- Here
- All year
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 75 counties
- Habitats
- 12

At a glance
- Group
- Birds
- Here
- All year
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 75 counties
- Habitats
- 12
- Habitat models
- Summer, Winter
Where it lives
The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.
Habitats in Arkansas 12
Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.
Disturbed and introduced wetlands
Wet ground taken over by weedy or introduced plants after disturbance, such as common reed, Chinese tallow or tamarisk stands; the upland counterpart is roadsides, fields and disturbed ground.
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.
Flat, poorly drained uplands and terraces with oaks, sweetgum and sometimes loblolly pine, wet in winter and dry in summer, but neither a floodplain nor a swamp.
Still water and its edges: ponds, lakes, millponds and reservoirs.
Streams, rivers and their banks
Flowing water and its banks, bars and rocky shoals.
Forested wetlands with standing water much of the year, such as cypress and gum swamps.

Forests and open woodlands on dry ridges and slopes, often oak or pine.
Forests between dry and moist, often oak-hickory on slopes.
Forests on moist but not wet ground, such as rich slopes and ravines.
Open, grass-dominated places kept open by fire, grazing or thin soil, from tallgrass prairie to Piedmont prairies.
Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground
Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.
Other habitats in its models (143)
Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in Arkansas.
- Developed, Low Intensity Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Developed, Medium Intensity Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Open Water (Brackish/Salt) Summer and winter.
- Open Water (Aquaculture) Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Beach Summer and winter.
- Unconsolidated Shore (Lake/River/Pond) Summer and winter.
- Unconsolidated Shore (Beach/Dune) Summer and winter.
- Unconsolidated Shore Summer and winter.
- Upper Texas Coast Beach Summer and winter.
- Louisiana Beach Summer and winter.
- Southeast Florida Beach Summer and winter.
- South Florida Shell Hash Beach Summer and winter.
- Florida Panhandle Beach Vegetation Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Sea Island Beach Summer and winter.
- Southwest Florida Beach Summer and winter.
- Texas Coastal Bend Beach Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Black Belt Calcareous Prairie and Woodland - Herbaceous Modifier Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Ouachita Montane Oak Forest Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- North-Central Interior Maple-Basswood Forest Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- South Florida Hardwood Hammock Summer and winter.
- Southwest Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock Summer and winter.
- Southeast Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock Summer and winter.
- Central and South Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Chenier and Upper Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- East-Central Texas Plains Post Oak Savanna and Woodland Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- East-Central Texas Plains Riparian Forest Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Maritime Forest Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Lower Mississippi River Dune Woodland and Forest Summer and winter.
- Mississippi Delta Maritime Forest Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Western Great Plains Wooded Draw and Ravine Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Mesic Hardwood Forest Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Maritime Forest Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Maritime Forest Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Forest and Woodland Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Pine-Hardwood Forest Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Sandhill Oak and Shortleaf Pine Forest and Woodland Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Northern Crowley's Ridge Sand Forest Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- East-Central Texas Plains Pine Forest and Woodland Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Florida Peninsula Inland Scrub Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Tamaulipan Mixed Deciduous Thornscrub Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Tamaulipan Calcareous Thornscrub Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- North-Central Interior Oak Savanna Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- North-Central Oak Barrens Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Xeric River Dune Summer and winter.
- Western Great Plains Mesquite Woodland and Shrubland Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Central Mixedgrass Prairie Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- North-Central Interior Sand and Gravel Tallgrass Prairie Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Central Tallgrass Prairie Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Dune and Maritime Grassland Summer and winter.
- Texas-Louisiana Coastal Prairie Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Central and Upper Texas Coast Dune and Coastal Grassland Summer and winter.
- Harvested Forest - Grass/Forb Regeneration Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Recently Burned Shrubland Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Treed Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Forbland Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Perennial Grassland Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Modified/Managed Southern Tall Grassland Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Salt and Brackish Tidal Marsh Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Indian River Lagoon Tidal Marsh Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Embayed Region Tidal Salt and Brackish Marsh Summer and winter.
- Mississippi Sound Salt and Brackish Tidal Marsh Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Tidal Salt Marsh Summer and winter.
- Florida Big Bend Salt-Brackish Tidal Marsh Summer and winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Taxodium Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Bay/Gum Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Pine Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Nupea Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Clethra Modifier Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Herbaceous Wetland Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Peatland Pocosin Summer and winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Seepage Swamp and Baygall Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Tidal Wooded Swamp Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Streamhead Seepage Swamp - Pocosin - and Baygall Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Large Natural Lakeshore Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Tidal Wooded Swamp Summer and winter.
- South Florida Everglades Sawgrass Marsh Summer and winter.
- Gulf and Atlantic Coastal Plain Tidal Marsh Systems Summer and winter.
- Central Interior and Appalachian Shrub-Herbaceous Wetland Systems Summer and winter.
- Floridian Highlands Freshwater Marsh Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Embayed Region Tidal Freshwater Marsh Summer and winter.
- Central Florida Herbaceous Seep Summer and winter.
- Florida Big Bend Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Fresh and Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Tidal Wooded Swamp Summer and winter.
- South Florida Mangrove Swamp Summer and winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Large River Swamp Summer and winter.
- South Florida Bayhead Swamp Summer and winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp Summer and winter.
- Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest Summer and winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Herbaceous Seepage Bog Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Taxodium/Nyssa Modifier Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Oak Dominated Modifier Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Forested Wetland Summer and winter.
- South Florida Dwarf Cypress Savanna Summer and winter.
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain Interdunal Wetland Summer and winter.
- South Florida Wet Marl Prairie Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Savanna and Wet Prairie Summer and winter.
- Texas Saline Coastal Prairie Summer and winter.
- Eastern Great Plains Wet Meadow, Prairie, and Marsh Summer and winter.
- South Florida Cypress Dome Summer and winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Cypress Dome Summer and winter.
- Central Florida Herbaceous Pondshore Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Depression Pondshore Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont/Ridge and Valley Upland Depression Swamp Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Depression Pondshore Summer and winter.
- South Florida Freshwater Slough and Gator Hole Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Blackwater Stream Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
- Central Appalachian Floodplain - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
- Central Appalachian Riparian - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont Large Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest - Herbaceous Modifier Summer and winter.
- South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Herbaceous Modifier Summer and winter.
- Western Great Plains Floodplain Systems Summer and winter.
- Eastern Great Plains Floodplain Systems Summer and winter.
- Tamaulipan Riparian Systems Summer and winter.
- Cumberland Riverscour Summer and winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Hydric Hammock Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont Small Floodplain and Riparian Forest Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Brownwater River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Brownwater Stream Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
- Texas-Louisiana Coastal Prairie Slough Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Jackson Plain Dry Flatwoods - Open Understory Modifier Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Open Understory Modifier Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- South Florida Pine Flatwoods Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- Central Atlantic Coastal Plain Wet Longleaf Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Wet Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Summer and winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Wet Longleaf Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Summer and winter.
- Central Florida Pine Flatwoods Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Loblolly-Hardwood Flatwoods Summer and winter, only within 120 m of water.
- South-Central Interior / Upper Coastal Plain Wet Flatwoods Summer and winter.
- North-Central Interior Wet Flatwoods Summer and winter.
Seasons in Arkansas
- Year-round: nests here, in 35 of 75 counties.
- Summer: nests here, in 53 of 75 counties.
Also found in this habitat
Plants 722
Plants named in NatureServe descriptions of these habitats that grow in Arkansas. Shared habitat, not food.
- White OakQuercus alba
- SweetgumLiquidambar styraciflua
- Post OakQuercus stellata
- Loblolly PinePinus taeda
- Cherrybark OakQuercus pagoda
- Little BluestemSchizachyrium scoparium
- Poison-ivyToxicodendron radicans
- False NettleBoehmeria cylindrica
- American HornbeamCarpinus caroliniana
- SugarberryCeltis laevigata
- American Hop-hornbeamOstrya virginiana
- Southern Red OakQuercus falcata
- Water OakQuercus nigra
- American ElmUlmus americana
- Red MapleAcer rubrum
- Black HickoryCarya texana
- Swamp Chestnut OakQuercus michauxii
- Willow OakQuercus phellos
- Black OakQuercus velutina
- Northern Red OakQuercus rubra
- Giant CaneArundinaria gigantea
- ButtonbushCephalanthus occidentalis
- Green HawthornCrataegus viridis
- American BeechFagus grandifolia
Wildlife 236
Other animals whose habitat models include the same habitats in Arkansas. Not sighting records.
- Chimney SwiftChaetura pelagica
- Common NighthawkChordeiles minor
- Eastern KingbirdTyrannus tyrannus
- Great Horned OwlBubo virginianus
- American GoldfinchCarduelis tristis
- American RobinTurdus migratorius
- Common YellowthroatGeothlypis trichas
- Cooper's HawkAccipiter cooperii
- Eastern Screech-owlMegascops asio
- European StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensis
- Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus
- Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatus
- Turkey VultureCathartes aura
- Yellow-breasted ChatIcteria virens
- American KestrelFalco sparverius
- Belted KingfisherMegaceryle alcyon
- Blue GrosbeakPasserina caerulea
- Blue-gray GnatcatcherPolioptila caerulea
- Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorum
- Chipping SparrowSpizella passerina
- Mourning DoveZenaida macroura
- Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis
- Northern FlickerColaptes auratus
NatureServe Explorer, CC BY 4.0. USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models.
Sources
- USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models (2001)
- USGS GAP winter habitat model for Black-crowned Night-heron
- USGS Gap Analysis Project range maps (2001), modeled by watershed; migratory gives no dates
- NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0), habitat names
- US Census TIGER/Line counties
- Names follow the USGS Gap Analysis Project (2001)















































