The white-backed night heron was formally described in 1827 by the German naturalist Johann Wagler under the binomial name Ardea leuconotus.

Based on the results of a molecular genetic study published in 2023,[4] it is now the only species placed in the resurrected genus Calherodius that had originally been introduced in 1855 by the French naturalist Charles Bonaparte.

[10] The white-backed night heron is located throughout central and southern Africa, with a range estimated at 20,900,000 km2 (8,100,000 sq mi).

[9] Nocturnal by nature, they roost in the dense vegetation of marshes and forests during the daylight hours, often nesting high within the trees.

[10] The white-backed night heron seems to be sedentary, but it has been observed in some circumstances to have migrated to locations with heavy rain.

[1] The species is currently experiencing a small number of threats, including habitat loss in southern Africa and hunting in Nigeria, where they are used for traditional medicine.