This is a 1st summer bird (hatched in 2010) showing all the field marks that separate it from the Black-crowned Night Heron. These include the long legs - note in the 1st shot that the tail only goes down as far as the knees (a mark I like when the light is bad). The bill is thick and dark. The back is faintly marked. The neck markings are dark and indistinct. The head pattern hints at the ultimate adult plumage. As seen in this and other pix, the bird has a long neck and overall the outline is slimmer, the legs are longer and the feel is very different from a Black-crowned. (Photo 3 of 4)