Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron

The yellow-crowned night-heron has a glossy black head with white cheeks, a name-sake pale yellow crown going from the bill back between the eyes and to the back of its head, a black bill, dark orange or red eyes, long yellow legs, and a gray/blue body and back with a black scaled pattern on the wings. 

Yellow-crowned night-heron

The yellow crown and orange/red eye stand out. 

It is found only in the Americas. 

Range map from All About Birds.

I saw this bird, my first, on South Padre Island in southern Texas in September 2019.