Festival organizers have selected the black-crowned night-heron as this year’s signature bird.
Its Spanish name is pederete corona negra, or perro del agua (water dog) in the local vernacular. It is a medium-sized wading bird that commonly inhabits wetland areas around the globe. With a more compact build than most other types of herons, it is recognized by its white or grey body, black crown and back, red eyes and short yellow legs. Water dogs nest in colonies on platforms of sticks in a group of trees, or on the ground in protected locations such as reed beds. They stand still at the water’s edge at night or early morning, often hunching over and thrusting out their neck while waiting to ambush prey that includes small fish, crustaceans, frogs, aquatic insects, or tiny mammals, reptiles and birds.