Nycticorax nycticorax | black-crowned night-heron | ʻaukuʻu
Indigenous
Other Names: aukuu, auku'u
The stately ʻaukuʻu is found near ponds, streams, marshes and shorelines where it hunts for shellfish, fish, frogs, mice, insects, and even other birds. Standing about 2-feet tall, they are gray with a black bill, head, and back and yellow legs and feet with piercing red eyes. When breeding, they have long white feathers streaming from the top of their heads. You’ll see them most often at dawn and dusk, standing like a statue ready to strike their prey, or eerily swooping overhead into the dark.
The map below shows birding trails where you might see this bird. Learn more by visiting our species profile page for ʻaukuʻu.
Hotspots for black-crowned night-heron
- Salt Pond Beach Park | Details for Salt Pond Beach Park
- Kawaiʻele State Waterbird Sanctuary | Details for Kawaiʻele State Waterbird Sanctuary
- Nuʻupia Ponds | Details for Nuʻupia Ponds
- Betty Bliss Memorial Overlook | Details for Betty Bliss Memorial Overlook
- James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge | Details for James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge
- Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge | Details for Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge
- Kanahā Pond State Wildlife Sanctuary | Details for Kanahā Pond State Wildlife Sanctuary
- Keāhole Point | Details for Keāhole Point
- Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historic Park | Details for Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historic Park
- Wailoa River State Park | Details for Wailoa River State Park
- Loko Waka Pond | Details for Loko Waka Pond
Salt Pond Beach Park
Coastal
![](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/Salt-Pond-Beach-Park-300x180.jpg)
![Lookout Lookout](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/lookout.png)
![Bathroom Bathroom](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/restrooms.png)
![Parking Parking](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/parking2.png)
![Picnic area Picnic area](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/picnic.png)
![Trash Trash](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/trash.png)
Kawaiʻele State Waterbird Sanctuary
Wetland
![](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/Kawaiele-State-Waterbird-Sanctuary_DLNR-300x180.png)
![Hiking Hiking](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/hiking.png)
![Lookout Lookout](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/lookout.png)
![Interpretive Signage Interpretive Signage](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/signage.png)
![Parking Parking](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/parking2.png)
Nuʻupia Ponds
Wetland
![Hiking Hiking](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/hiking.png)
Betty Bliss Memorial Overlook
Wetland
![Hiking Hiking](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/hiking.png)
![Lookout Lookout](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/lookout.png)
![Interpretive Signage Interpretive Signage](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/signage.png)
James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge
Wetland
![Hiking Hiking](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/hiking.png)
![Parking Parking](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/parking2.png)
Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge
Wetland
![Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/Kealia-300x180.jpg)
![Hiking Hiking](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/hiking.png)
![Lookout Lookout](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/lookout.png)
![Bathroom Bathroom](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/restrooms.png)
![Interpretive Signage Interpretive Signage](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/signage.png)
![Parking Parking](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/parking2.png)
![Picnic area Picnic area](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/picnic.png)
![Ranger Station Ranger Station](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/ranger-station.png)
![Trash Trash](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/trash.png)
Kanahā Pond State Wildlife Sanctuary
Wetland
![Lookout Lookout](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/lookout.png)
![Parking Parking](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/parking2.png)
Keāhole Point
Coastal
![](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/Keahole-Point-300x180.jpg)
![Lookout Lookout](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/lookout.png)
![Parking Parking](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/parking2.png)
Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historic Park
Wetland
![](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/Kaloko-Honokohau-NHP-300x180.jpg)
![Hiking Hiking](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/hiking.png)
![Bathroom Bathroom](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/restrooms.png)
![Interpretive Signage Interpretive Signage](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/signage.png)
![Parking Parking](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/parking2.png)
![Picnic area Picnic area](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/picnic.png)
![Ranger Station Ranger Station](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/ranger-station.png)
![Trash Trash](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/trash.png)
Wailoa River State Park
Wetland
![](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/Wailoa-1-300x180.jpg)
![Hiking Hiking](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/hiking.png)
![Lookout Lookout](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/lookout.png)
![Parking Parking](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/parking2.png)
![Picnic area Picnic area](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/picnic.png)
![Trash Trash](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/trash.png)
Loko Waka Pond
Wetland
![](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/Lokowaka-300x180.jpg)
![Lookout Lookout](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/lookout.png)
![Bathroom Bathroom](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/restrooms.png)
![Parking Parking](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/parking2.png)
![Picnic area Picnic area](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/picnic.png)
![Trash Trash](https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/trash.png)