White-Backed Night-Heron
Gorsachius leuconotus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPelecaniformes (Pelicans, Herons, Ibises, and Allies)
- FamilyArdeidae (Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns)
- GenusGorsachius (Malayan and Japanese Night Herons)
- SpeciesGorsachius leuconotus (White-Backed Night-Heron)
About the White-Backed Night-Heron
The white-backed night heron (Calherodius leuconotus) is a species of medium-sized heron in the family Ardeidae, found in sub-Saharan Africa. The white-backed night heron was formally described in 1827 by the German naturalist Johann Wagler under the binomial name Ardea leuconotus. He specified the type locality as Senegambia. This species was formerly placed with the Japanese night heron and the Malayan night heron in the genus Gorsachius. Based on the results of a molecular genetic study published in 2023, it is now the only species placed in the resurrected genus Calherodius that had originally been introduced in 1855 by the French naturalist Charles Bonaparte. Bonaparte specified the type species as Ardea cucullata Lichtenstein which is now considered to be a junior synonym of Ardea leuconotus Wagler. The species is treated as monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.
The white-backed night heron is 50–55 cm (20–22 in) in length with a black head and a short crest, or prominent feather display on the top of its head. The heron has large red eyes with white-ringed markings around them, and the lores, or the region behind the eye, are a pale yellow... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of White-Backed Night-Heron in Nairobi National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Nairobi National Park
Grey Heron
Ardea cinerea
Cattle Egret
Bubulcus ibis
Black-headed Heron
Ardea melanocephala
Black-crowned Night Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
Great Egret
Ardea alba
intermediate egret
Egretta intermedia
Striated Heron
Butorides striata
Little Egret
Egretta garzetta
Squacco Heron
Ardeola ralloides
Madagascar Pond Heron
Ardeola idae
Goliath Heron
Ardea goliath
Purple Heron
Ardea purpurea
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Mburo National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 2 | Liwonde National Park | 🇲🇼 Malawi | |
| 3 | Niokolo-Koba National Park | 🇸🇳 Senegal | |
| 4 | Nairobi National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 5 | Kafue National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 6 | Awash National Park | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | |
| 7 | Chobe National Park | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 8 | Murchison Falls National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 9 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 10 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 11 | Meru National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 12 | Gonarezhou National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 13 | Lower Zambezi National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 14 | Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 15 | Pilanesberg National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 16 | South Luangwa National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 17 | Mana Pools National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 18 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 19 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 20 | Ngorongoro Conservation Area | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 21 | Masai Mara National Reserve | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 22 | Serengeti National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a White-Backed Night-Heron in Nairobi National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a White-Backed Night-Heron sighting in Nairobi National Park, based on 101 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see White-Backed Night-Heron in Nairobi National Park?
March has the highest sighting rate for White-Backed Night-Heron in Nairobi National Park in our monthly data.