Date: 1/5/26 1:58 pm From: Joseph Neal <0000078cbd583d7c-dmarc-request...> Subject: MID-WINTER OBSERVATION OF A YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON IN FAYETTEVILLE
Dennis Nelms observed a YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON in Fayetteville on January 3, 2026. YCNH have nested for at least past few years along a small stream in northeastern Fayetteville. He’s quite familiar with them. One of these nests was over a small stream more or less in his backyard.
Winter records in northern Arkansas are more or less in the northern extremes of their usual range in North America’s midcontinent. I looked up winter records for YCNH in Northwest Arkansas City and found only three. One of these was a Doug James record in Fayetteville in January 1991. The other two are from Flint Creek Nature Area in January 2022 and 2024.
In 2009, National Audubon’s analysis of mid-winter data indicated YCNH ranges had in the past 40 years shifted northward by around 36 miles. All of this supports the hypothesis that climate warming is impacting bird ranges and other aspects of the biota, like plants and their flowering times.
Less freezing means more opportunity for birds like YCNH.
