Black-crowned Night-heron Is Ready for its Close-up

Stocky yet stealthy, Black-crowned Night-herons get their name from their tendency to hunt at night. Found as far north as Canada and as far south as Argentina, these wetland-dwelling ardeids start their stealth training young. Juvenile herons leave the nest to join foraging flocks when they are just one month old—before they can even fly.

This image was a Top 100 photo from the 2011 Audubon Magazine Photography Awards. To see all of the photos, click here.