The striking gaze of the Black-crowned Night-Heron cuts straight through the lens. With blood red eyes and a beak that resembles that of a plague doctor mask, this common bird may look menacing, but its quirky mannerisms tell a different story. Watch below as these beautiful birds learn to hunt, preen, and find that perfect itch.

• The Black-crowned Night-Heron inhabits warmer climates worldwide, ranging from North and South America, Europe, and Africa to Asia and the East Indies.

• These birds are primarily active during the evening (hence their name), and they inhabit freshwater, saltwater, and brackish wetlands, marshes, streams, lakes, and reservoirs.

• Adults possess entirely black bills, while juveniles exhibit yellow and black bills.

• Their diet includes fish, krill, crustaceans, frogs, insects, small mammals, and occasionally small birds.

• Although they typically hunt solo, Black-crowned Night-Herons nest together in colonies.

• Some of these colonies have been known to remain together for over 50 years.

• During the breeding season, a long, thin, white head plume appears on these birds.

• A breeding Black-crowned Night-Heron will care for any chick placed in its nest, even those that aren't its own offspring.

• Juveniles leave the nest at only one month old and aren't capable of flying until they are six weeks old.

• In the wild, Black-crowned Night-Herons can live for approximately 20 years.

On any adventure, I bring along my trusty Fujifilm X-T3 with the XF100-400mm + 1.4x TC, which is securely fastened to my backpack using a Peak Design Capture 3.0 Camera Clip. This setup not only makes me more mobile but also enables me to act quickly when I spot wildlife. Depending on the situation, I switch between photo and video modes to capture a variety of media to share. While I would prefer to use a tripod for crisper content, it can limit mobility and result in missed opportunities.

The first photo below is likely one of my favorite photos I've ever taken. As a photographer, there's no better feeling than when a creature connects with your camera and offers you their best. Scroll through to see more Black-crowned Night-Heron photos taken throughout Southern California.