Green heron
| Green heron | ||||||||||||
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Green heron ( Butorides virescens ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Butorides virescens | ||||||||||||
| ( Linnaeus , 1758) |
The green heron ( Butorides virescens ) belongs to the heron family from the order Pelecaniformes . It is closely related to the mangrove heron ( Butorides striatus ) from tropical Africa and Asia and is considered by some scientists as a subspecies Butorides striatus virescens .
Appearance
The birds are 44 centimeters long. They have a green-blue back and wings, the neck is brown with a white, vertical line on the front. They wear a black cap on their heads. The legs are yellow. Young birds have a brown and spotted camouflage pattern.
distribution
The green heron lives in swamps in Central America and on the islands of the Caribbean . The subspecies Butorides virescens maculatus is a resident bird there, it has shorter wings. A long-winged subspecies Butorides virescens virescens also lives in the eastern United States , the Midwest, and the Pacific coast of the United States and Canada . This subspecies migrates to northern South America in winter . She is a rare stray visitor in Europe.
Way of life
The little heron feeds on small fish, frogs, crustaceans and insects, which it ambushes in shallow water or on a branch on the bank. They sometimes drop bait on the surface of the water to attract fish. Her call is a loud and sudden kyow .
It nests on trees or in bushes, often near the water. 3 to 5 eggs are laid. Both parents incubate for about 20 days and raise the young together, which fledge after 3 weeks.
literature
- National Geographic: Field Guide to the Birds of North America ISBN 0-7922-6877-6