Japanese night heron

The Japanese night heron is a species of night heron found in East Asia. It breeds in Japan, and winters in the Philippines and Indonesia. It is also seen in the spring and summer in Korea and the Russian Far East.

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Distribution

Region

East and Southeast Asia

Typical Environment

The Japanese night heron breeds mainly in Japan in warm, moist forests, especially evergreen broadleaf woodlands with clean, shaded streams. In the non-breeding season it migrates to the Philippines and Indonesia, using lowland forests, riparian thickets, and nearby wetlands. It is occasionally recorded in Korea and the Russian Far East during spring and summer passage. The species favors dense understory for cover and foraging, and may also use forest edges and traditional rice paddies near woodlands.

Altitude Range

Sea level to 1500 m

Climate Zone

Subtropical

Characteristics

Size50–57 cm

Wing Span80–95 cm

Male Weight0.55 kg

Female Weight0.5 kg

Life Expectancy12 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

This elusive forest heron is most active at dusk and dawn, often slipping silently through dense understory near streams. Its dependence on mature evergreen broadleaf forests makes it highly sensitive to logging and river alteration. Habitat loss across both breeding and wintering grounds is the main driver of its decline. Its deep, hooting calls at dusk can reveal its presence even when it remains unseen.

Gallery

Behaviour

Temperament

solitary and secretive

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats followed by low glides through trees

Social Behavior

Typically solitary or in pairs during the breeding season. Nests singly or in very loose groups, placing a stick platform in trees near streams. Both sexes likely share incubation and chick-rearing duties. Outside breeding, it remains unobtrusive and dispersed.

Migratory Pattern

Seasonal migrant

Song Description

Vocalizations are low, booming hoots and harsh croaks, most often given at dusk or at night. Calls carry through forest understory and can be the best clue to its presence.

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Identification

Leg Coloryellowish-green

Eye Coloryellow

Plumage

Warm rufous-brown overall with darker mottling above and fine streaking below; crown and nape darker; throat paler and lightly streaked. Feathers appear soft and cryptic, aiding concealment in forest shade.

Feeding Habits

Diet

Primarily takes earthworms, beetles, and other large insects gleaned from damp leaf litter. It also captures amphibians, small fish, snails, and crustaceans along shaded streams. Foraging is methodical, with slow stalking and sudden jabs of the bill.

Preferred Environment

Feeds on the forest floor and along small, clear streams within dense evergreen or mixed forests. During migration and winter it may also use forest edges, riparian thickets, and traditional rice fields adjoining woodlands.

Population

Total Known Populationunknown

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