Bird’s ID – Green Heron | H.J. Ruiz

The Green Heron (Butorides virescens) is a small heron of North and Central America. Butorides is from Middle English butor “bittern” and Ancient Greek -oides, “resembling”, and virescens is Latin for “greenish”.

It was long considered conspecific with its sister species the striated heron (Butorides striata), and together they were called “green-backed heron”. Birds of the nominate subspecies (no matter which taxonomic arrangement is preferred) are extremely rare vagrants to western Europe—for example, a sighting in Pembrokeshire in 2018 was only the second recorded sighting in Wales; individuals from the Pacific coast of North America may similarly stray as far as Hawaii.

The green heron is relatively small; adult body length is about 44 cm (17 in). The neck is often pulled in tight against the body. Adults have a glossy, greenish-black cap, a greenish back and wings that are grey-black grading into green or blue, a chestnut neck with a white line down the front, grey underparts and short yellow legs. The bill is dark with a long, sharp point. Female adults tend to be smaller than male and have duller and lighter plumage, particularly in the breeding season. Juveniles are duller, with the head sides, neck and underparts streaked brown and white, tan-splotched back and wing coverts, and greenish-yellow legs and bill. Hatchlings are covered in down feathers, light grey above, and white on the belly.

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7 thoughts on “Bird’s ID – Green Heron”

Jane's Heartsong on September 20, 2019 at 9:59 am said:

They must be appearing in the south more often at this time of year, because I am seeing more postsof these birds right now. They have beautiful markings and you have a very good selection of photos with great light to enjoy looking at them.

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- H.J. for avian101 on September 20, 2019 at 6:41 pm said:
  
  You can always see them in the south. They are handsome birds/ Thanks, Jane. 🙂
  
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silviadeangelis40d on September 21, 2019 at 5:56 am said:

Un esemplare slanciato e raffinato…
Un caro saluto,silvia

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- H.J. for avian101 on September 21, 2019 at 5:57 pm said:
  
  Sono totalmente d’accordo! Grazie mille. 🙂
  
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bayphotosbydonna on September 21, 2019 at 8:21 am said:

Beautifully captured, HJ! They are a pretty heron! 🙂

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- H.J. for avian101 on September 21, 2019 at 5:59 pm said:
  
  Thank you so much, Donna. 🙂
  
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