An immature black crowned night heron 夜鷺 Nycticorax nycticorax wading for food in the in the flats of the wide bend in the Xindian river 新店溪 where the waterway receives the GuangXing watershed 廣興水域. The young night heron will change coloration significantly as it turns solid white sporting a blue-black back and cap and two long thin white plumes from the neck; reaching 65cm they have kept their red eyes, short yellow legs and squat disposition. Night herons breed in both fresh and salt-water wetlands around the world. They are often seen with the egrets in Taiwan and are not too shy. Like the egrets, they wade patiently in the shallows, hunting small fish, mussels, reptiles, amphibians and insects. They are most active at night and in the morning, perching in trees near the water during the day. Their single loud grackley crow-like call can be heard over suburban Taipei as they follow the waterways from above at night.
