Nycticorax - Taxonomy

Taxonomy

In addition to the species listed below, the night herons of the genera Nyctanassa and Gorsachius were formerly placed in Nycticorax, but today all major authorities consider them separate.

• Black-crowned Night Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax
• Rodrigues Night Heron, Nycticorax megacephalus (extinct)
• Réunion Night Heron, Nycticorax duboisi (extinct)
• Mauritius Night Heron, Nycticorax mauritianus (extinct)
• Ascension Night Heron, Nycticorax olsoni (extinct)
• Niue Night Heron, Nycticorax kalavikai (prehistoric)
• ‘Eua Night Heron, Nycticorax sp. (prehistoric)
• Lifuka Night Heron, Nycticorax sp. (prehistoric) - may be same as ‘Eua species
• Nankeen Night Heron or Rufous Night Heron, Nycticorax caledonicus
  • Bonin Nankeen Night Heron, Nycticorax caledonicus crassirostris (extinct, c.1890)

In addition, the following taxa are known from fossil bones:

• Nycticorax sp. (Early Oligocene of Fayyum, Egypt) (fossil)
• Nycticorax fidens (Late Miocene of McGehee Farm, USA) (fossil)