About the Lava Heron
The lava heron, also known as the Galápagos heron, is a species of heron endemic to the Galápagos Islands of Ecuador. It is considered by some authorities — including the American Ornithological Society and BirdLife International — to be a subspecies of the striated heron, and was formerly "lumped" with this species and the green heron as the green-backed heron.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The adult is slate-grey to black, which allows it to blend in with the hardened lava. The back feathers typically have a silvery sheen and it has a short crest on its head. When breeding, the heron has a black beak and bright orange legs, but these fade to grey after the breeding season. Voice: Lava herons are typically seen hunched over and they have a sharp alarm call (described as a scow sound). During aggressive behavior they will use a skuk-skuk call.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where the Lava Heron lives
When to see the Lava Heron
Peak activity in January · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
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