The Black-crowned Night Heron is an extremely widespread species with populations spanning much of North and South America, Eurasia and Africa. The populations in temperate areas are migratory and European breeding birds winter in Africa. In northern Europe, Night Herons are a typical spring overshooting migrant

Night Herons are a vagrant to the Bailiwick. The nearest breeding colonies to Guernsey are in southern Brittany and the pattern of occurrence follows the pattern seen in the UK with most records in the spring and fewer in autumn.

1953: One shot near Cobo 10th September

1970: A first year bird was picked up exhausted at Fort Doyle 27th April. Released the following day at the Track Marais.

1973: Adult at Maraitaine Quarry,Vale 12th-13th May. Believed to have been present since early April.

1988: Adult Paradis, Vale. 2nd April.

1990: Twelve at Pulias Pond 15th March at 6pm was followed by 14 flying over Courtil de Bas at 6.45pm. It seems that within a few days these birds dispersed over the island with reports from Bellefleur Quarry, La Grande Mare, the Dell Nursery and Rousse. A bird remained at Rue des Pres, St Peters until 3rd May.

1997: Immature at the Dell Nursery 25th-26th August.