Environmental success story
Updated: Sep 19, 2018 08:10 AM
Magisterial beauty: a yellow-crowned night heron was spotted at Spittal Pond. Generally nocturnal, it is considered a common resident and uncommon migrant. Exterminated by early settlers, this species was reintroduced from Florida in 1976 was breeding here in 1978 (Photograph by Blaire Simmons)
A yellow-crowned night heron spread its wings over Spittal Pond in Smith’s yesterday.
The elegant birds, found across North America, were once abundant on Bermuda, but were wiped out with early settlement in the 1600s.
In 1976, several of the birds were reintroduced as part of an attempt to control land crab numbers, and they were breeding by 1978.
They were hand-reared before being released into the wild and now forage for food in marshy areas across the island.
Magisterial beauty: a Yellow-crowned Night Heron Nyctanassa violacea was spotted at Spittal Pond. Generally nocturnal, it is considered a common resident and uncommon migrant. Exterminated by early settlers, this species was reintroduced from Florida in 1976 was breeding here in 1978 (Photograph by Blaire Simmons)
Magisterial beauty: a Yellow-crowned Night Heron Nyctanassa violacea was spotted at Spittal Pond. Generally nocturnal, it is considered a common resident and uncommon migrant. Exterminated by early settlers, this species was reintroduced from Florida in 1976 was breeding here in 1978 (Photograph by Blaire Simmons)
Magisterial beauty: a Yellow-crowned Night Heron Nyctanassa violacea was spotted at Spittal Pond. Generally nocturnal, it is considered a common resident and uncommon migrant. Exterminated by early settlers, this species was reintroduced from Florida in 1976 was breeding here in 1978 (Photograph by Blaire Simmons)
Magisterial beauty: a Yellow-crowned Night Heron Nyctanassa violacea took flight at Spittal Pond. Generally nocturnal, it is considered a common resident and uncommon migrant. Exterminated by early settlers, this species was reintroduced from Florida in 1976 was breeding here in 1978 (Photograph by Blaire Simmons)
Magisterial beauty: a Yellow-crowned Night Heron Nyctanassa violacea was spotted at Spittal Pond. Generally nocturnal, it is considered a common resident and uncommon migrant. Exterminated by early settlers, this species was reintroduced from Florida in 1976 was breeding here in 1978 (Photograph by Blaire Simmons)
