General

Green Heron: Small heron with gray-green upperparts. Head, neck and upper breast are chestnut-brown and belly is paler brown. Head has green-black cap with small crest and yellow eyes. Throat is white and neck has white central stripe. Bill is two-toned with dark upper mandible and yellow lower mandible. Legs are yellow. Sexes are similar. Juvenile has white streaks on underparts. Habitually squawks and defecates on take off when startled.

Range and Habitat

Green Heron: Breeds across most of the U.S.; spends winters in the southern U.S. south to Venezuela, Panama, and the West Indies. Preferred habitats include shoreline habitats along rivers, oceans, lakes, and ponds.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"qua qua"

Interesting Facts

 The Green Heron is one of the few tool-using birds. It commonly drops bait onto the surface of the water and grabs the small fish that are attracted.

 They tend to wander after the breeding season is over. Most probably seek more favorable foraging areas and do not travel far. Occasionally some turn up in England and France.

 The Green Heron is part of a complex of small herons that sometimes are considered one species. When lumped, they are called Green-backed Heron. When split, they are the Green Heron, the Striated Heron, and the Galapagos Heron.

 A group of herons has many collective nouns, including a "battery", "hedge", "pose", "rookery", and "scattering" of herons."

Author

Gary Owen Dick

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