It refers to the largely nocturnal feeding habits of this group of birds, and the croaking crow-like call of the best known species, the black-crowned night heron.

Night herons nest in colonies on platforms of sticks in a group of trees, or on the ground in protected locations such as islands or reed beds.

The genus Nycticorax was introduced in 1817 by the English naturalist Thomas Forster to accommodate the black-crowned night heron.

The word was used by the Swiss naturalist Conrad Gessner in 1555 and then by subsequent authors for the black-crowned night heron.

[7] In addition to the species listed below, the night herons of the genera Nyctanassa and Gorsachius were formerly placed in Nycticorax.