A photo of a White-backed Night Heron (Gorsachius leuconotus)
White-backed Night Heron

White-backed Night Heron

Gorsachius leuconotus

The white-backed night heron (Gorsachius leuconotus) is a species of medium-sized heron in the family Ardeidae, found in sub-Saharan Africa. The white-backed night heron is 50–55 cm in length with a black head and a short crest, or prominent feather display on the top of its head. The heron has large red eyes with white-ringed markings around them, and the lores, or the region behind the eye, are a pale yellow hue. The throat feathers are white, whereas the neck and breast are rufous, or a reddish-brown hue. There is a notable white triangular patch along the back formed by the white scapulars, or small feathers, on the shoulder of the bird. The belly feathers are a whitish-brown and the legs are yellow. An immature heron can be identified by its streaked breast and the white spots on the upper-wing coverts. Chicks are covered with olive-brown down.
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White-backed Night Herons on Birda

Photos

Sightings

A map showing the sighting location
🦢
Shannon Watt
Wednesday 13 Oct 2021 - 2:32pm
Namibia
A map showing the sighting location
🐧
Joseph D Lionceau
Sunday 07 Mar 2021 - 4:34pm
Rwanda
A map showing the sighting location
🍄
Alistair Dyason
Tuesday 23 Feb 2021 - 5:08am
South Africa
A map showing the sighting location
🦢
Simon Bradfield
Saturday 18 Jan 2020 - 7:45am
The Gambia
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