BirdingGermany.de
Black-crowned Night Heron
About one dozen pairs of this Night Heron are breeding in Bavaria which is the only place in Germany where this cosmopolitan species is breeding. The German birds are long distance migrants, so they can only be seen between April and October at their breeding grounds. Colonies exist at the Donauaue bei Regensburg (since 1979) and near Straubing. At the Mohrhofweiher area this species is an irregular breeder (Mädlow & Model 2000). Additionally there is a Colony next to Germany in Austria at the lower stretches of the Inn river. At the Rhine Delta in Vorarlberg (also in Austria) the Night Heron is an irregular breeder.
This bird is very secretive. They are most active at dusk and dawn. At the Colonies (the one at the lower stretches of the Inn river is the most accessible) you need some patience to spot them in the thick vegetation.