White-backed Night Heron (Calherodius leuconotus)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

White-backed Night Heron

Calherodius leuconotus (Wagler, 1827)

50–55 cmLength480 gWeight

Most records: Uganda, Gambia, Botswana

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

White-backed Night Heron has been recorded at 135 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 22 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Lake Mburo NP – Boat RideUganda197 records
  2. Lake Mburo NPUganda160 records
  3. Farasuto Forest Community NRGambia129 records
More places
  1. Drotsky's CabinsBotswana122 records
  2. Okavango Delta – Xaro LodgeBotswana107 records
  3. Tendaba Bush Camp – Mangrove Boat RideGambia96 records
  4. Caprivi Houseboat LodgeNamibia96 records
  5. Nairobi NPKenya92 records
  6. Tendaba MangrovesGambia73 records
  7. Liwonde National Park – MvuuMalawi66 records

Countries and regions with the most records

UgandaGambiaBotswanaNamibiaKenyaMalawiZambiaSenegal

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

Questions

How big is the White-backed Night Heron?

The White-backed Night Heron is about 50–55 cm long and weighs around 480 g.

Where does the White-backed Night Heron live?

Its breeding range: Africa: widespread. It is most often recorded in Uganda, Gambia and Botswana.

Is the White-backed Night Heron endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the White-backed Night Heron as Least Concern.

What does the White-backed Night Heron eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the White-backed Night Heron in?

It belongs to the family Herons, Bitterns (Ardeidae), order Pelecaniformes.

At a glance

Length
50–55 cm
Weight
480 g
Habitat
Wetland
Diet
Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Partial migrant
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
248 mm
Tail
101 mm
Bill
74 mm
Tarsus
75 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: widespread

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Herons, Bitterns Ardeidae
Genus
Calherodius

More from the family Herons, Bitterns

White-crested Tiger HeronWhite-crested Tiger HeronTigriornis leucolophaRufescent Tiger HeronRufescent Tiger HeronTigrisoma lineatumBare-throated Tiger HeronBare-throated Tiger HeronTigrisoma mexicanumFasciated Tiger HeronFasciated Tiger HeronTigrisoma fasciatumBoat-billed HeronBoat-billed HeronCochlearius cochleariusAgami HeronAgami HeronAgamia agamiZigzag HeronZigzag HeronZebrilus undulatusEurasian BitternEurasian BitternBotaurus stellarisAustralasian BitternAustralasian BitternBotaurus poiciloptilusAmerican BitternAmerican BitternBotaurus lentiginosus
White-backed Night Heron

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Josef Stulz. ↗

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