The black heron is a medium-sized bird, with a typical height range of 42.5 to 66 cm (16.5 to 26 in). Their weight can range from 0.27 to 0.39 kg (0.60 to 0.86 lbs). They are known for their black plumage, black bill, and yellow feet. In breeding plumage it grows long plumes on the crown and nape.[3]
The black heron uses a hunting method called canopy feeding — it uses its wings like an umbrella, creating shade that attracts fish. This technique was documented on episode 5 of the BBC's The Life of Birds, and in the "Nighttime Daytime" sketch from BBC's Walk on the Wild Side.[5] Some have been observed feeding solitarily, while others feed in groups of up to 50 individuals, 200 being the highest number reported. The black heron feeds by day but especially prefers the time around sunset. It roosts communally at night, and coastal flocks roost at high tide. The primary food of the black heron is small fish, but it will also eat aquatic insects, crustaceans and amphibians.[3]
The nest of the black heron is constructed of twigs placed over water in trees, bushes, and reed beds, forming a solid structure. The heron nests at the beginning of the rainy season, in single or mixed-species colonies that may number in the hundreds. The eggs are dark blue[contradictory] and the clutch is two to four eggs.[3]
