About the Green Heron
The green heron 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".
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The green heron is a relatively small heron; 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, an iridescent greenish back and wings that are gray-black grading into green or blue, a chestnut neck with a pair or more of white lines down the front, gray underparts and short yellow legs. The bill is dark with a long, sharp point. Female adults tend to be smaller than males, and have duller and lighter plumage, particularly in the breeding season.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the Green Heron sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in France, Netherlands, Iceland, Ireland, Sweden.
When to see it
Peak activity in May · a summer visitor species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Striated HeronButorides striataThe striated heron is 35–48 cm (14–19 in) in length, weighs 130–250 g (4.6–8.8 oz) and has a wing-span of 52–60 cm (20–24 in).
Lava HeronButorides sundevalliThe adult is slate-grey to black, which allows it to blend in with the hardened lava.
Side by side: Green Heron vs Striated Heron
Learn the Green Heron for real
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