INCIDENCE OF BREEDING BY YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS IN JUVENAL PLUMAGE

A breeding population of Yellow-crowned Night-Herons (Nyctanassa viola cea) located along the lower Chesapeake Bay was monitored between 1986 and 1993. Juvenal-plumaged birds accounted for <1% of 1,140 nesting a ttempts where plumage type was determined for both parents. All juvena l-plumaged birds were paired to birds in adult plumage. On average, ne sting success was lower but within 95% confidence limits of the popula tion as a whole.