It is a thick-bodied heron, half the size of a grey heron, and mostly active at dusk. The adult's body is mainly grey, with black crown and back. The brown juvenile's back and wing coverts are conspicuous by white spots, and with this feature it can be easily distinguished from other brown herons and bitterns, both on the ground and in flight. The night heron is found in different types of moist habitats with fresh, brackish or salt water enriched with aquatic vegetation, as well as on the forested shores of shallow rivers, lagoons, ponds, lakes, swamps and mangroves. It can be seen flying during the day, but it feeds at night or in the early morning.
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