White-crested Tiger Heron
Photo: Francesco Veronesi from Italy · CC BY-SA 2.0

Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns

White-crested Tiger Heron

Tigriornis leucolopha

LCLeast Concern
Family
Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns (Ardeidae)
Order
Pelecaniformes

Overview

The white-crested tiger heron (Tigriornis leucolopha), also known as the white-crested bittern, is a species of heron in the monotypic genus Tigriornis and a member of the family Ardeidae. It is widely distributed across the African tropical rainforest, often occurring near small streams and marshes. This heron exhibits unobtrusive black, brown and buff coloration and possesses a white crest, which may be viewed when erected. Not much is known about this heron or its behaviors, although it is known to feed on the small fish, crustaceans, frogs, snakes and insects which inhabit rivers or river shores.

Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Range and habitat

Sierra Leone to Cameroon, Gabon, Central African Republic, and Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.

Continents

Sources and further reading

Last updated September 29, 2026.