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Platte River Status: A regular migrant and locally uncommon summer resident throughout the study area. Tout (1947) recorded black-crowned night-heron in Lincoln County during 29 March to 10 October. Rosche (1979) found this species in the lower North Platte River Valley on three dates between 12 April and 15 May Rosche (1979) considered the black-crowned night-heron rare on Keystone Lake, Keith County, during 18 July to 19 August 1977.

Breeding Range: An uncommon and local breeding species in the Platte River Valley, and in the Rainwater Basin area of the Eastern Plain, casual elsewhere.

Breeding Population: We failed to record this species on our random census plots in 1979-1980. Censusing of most heron species, especially those that are largely nocturnal such as black-crowned night-heron, is difficult because of their secretive behavior and their reluctance to flush from heavy cover.

Habitat: Throughout most of its North American breeding range, black-crowned night-heron prefers large, semi-open wetlands that maintain a high degree of open water/emergent vegetation interspersion. Nests are usually constructed in tall emergent vegetation or in aquatic shrubs. Nest sites must have open water areas accessible for foraging by adults and fledged young.

Effect of Habitat Alteration: Wetland destruction has had a profound impact on this species through elimination of nesting and foraging habitat, especially in the Rainwater Basin area.

Nesting Data: The only confirmed evidence of nesting is Cox's (1956) description of a colony of 12 nests 8 km northeast of Sutherland Reservoir, Lincoln County, in 1951. By 1955, there were over 100 nests in the colony. Nests were located in a grove of Chinese elm trees near some barns. Lingle observed immature birds in open river channels at the Mormon Island Crane Meadows, Hall County, on 24 July 1983. An adult and an immature were observed there 28 May 1983. Egg dates extend in North Dakota from 9 May to 29 June (Stewart 1975), and 1 May to 1 August in Kansas (Johnsgard 1979). Hudson (1938b) considered black-crowned night-heron a common bird during 6-9 June 1937 near Hastings, Adams County, but found neither nests or young.