Green heron

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Green heron
Temporal range: Pleistocene–present
↓
Green heron have iridescent green feathers on their wings
Call

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Ardeidae
Genus: Butorides
Species:
B. virescens
Binomial name
Butorides virescens
Range of B. virescens
  Breeding range
  Year-round range
  Wintering range
Synonyms

Ardea virescens Linnaeus, 1758
See text.

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".[2]

It was long considered

Pacific coast of North America may similarly stray as far as Hawaii.[4][5][6]

Description

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

wing coverts, and greenish-yellow legs and bill. Hatchlings are covered in down feathers, light grey above, and white on the belly.[4][5][6]

The green heron's call is a loud and sudden kyow; it also makes a series of more subdued kuk calls. During courtship, the male gives a raah-rahh call with wide-open bill, makes noisy wingbeats and whoom-whoom-whoom calls in flight, and sometimes calls roo-roo to the female before landing again. While sitting, an aaroo-aaroo courtship call is also given.[5][6]

Measurements:[7]

  • Length: 16.1–18.1 in (41–46 cm)
  • Weight: 8.5 oz (240 g)
  • Wingspan: 25.2–26.8 in (64–68 cm)

Taxonomy

As noted above, this species was formerly included in B. striata, which at that time was erroneously known as B. striatus. The Early Pleistocene B. validipes, whose fossil remains were discovered in Florida, might have been the ancestor of the green heron as the living species seems to replace the extinct relative in the fossil record.

Subspecies distinction is uncertain at best. The color variation between populations is less pronounced than between birds of the same population. Migratory populations are longer-winged than those resident year-round, but this cannot be used to delimit subspecies as it is quite obviously a consequence of differing habits and can be expected to undergo

molecular phylogenetic
studies would be required to resolve the question of subspecies delimitation.

The following subspecies are commonly listed, though the validity of most of them is seriously disputed:[4]

  • Butorides virescens anthonyi (Mearns, 1895)
Breeds in the United States west of the
Baja California Peninsula, Mexico
. Some resident, most migrate to western Mexico in winter.
Bahamas
. Resident.
  • Butorides virescens frazari (Brewster, 1888)
Southern Baja California Peninsula, Mexico. Resident.
  • Butorides virescens maculata (Boddaert, 1783)[8] – formerly maculatus
Southernmost US through Central America to central Panama, Caribbean. Resident.
Breeds from southeastern Canada to central and southern US east of the Rocky Mountains. Winters from southernmost US to northern South America.

Much of the dispute hinges upon the distinctness of the Caribbean and Central American populations, the second

parapatric
populations as distinct subspecies, while others place all resident populations in maculata and all migratory ones in virescens.

Ecology

"Green heron" by John J. Audubon

The

conspecifics – when feeding and are not seen to forage in groups. They typically stand still on shore or in shallow water or perch upon branches and await prey. They are able to hover briefly to catch prey.[4][5][6] Green herons have been observed using captured prey (e.g. mayflies) or other objects (bread, feathers) to "bait-fish" – using a lure on the water's surface to attract fish.[12] This bait-fishing behavior is common among herons.[12]

The northern population moves to its breeding ranges during March and April; near the northernmost limit of the green heron's range, breeding is well underway by the end of May. The migration to the winter quarters starts in September; by late October, the birds are absent from regions where they do not stay all year. At least the northward migration does not seem to be affected by

global warming; birds appear in their breeding ranges at the same time they did 100 years ago.[4][6][13][14]

Individuals of non-migratory populations abandon their territories after breeding season to roam about the region. They may or may not return to the previous year's breeding location, depending on whether they found better habitat during these wanderings. In these populations, the breeding season is determined by rainfall and consequent prey availability.[4][5][6]

Green herons are

trees are preferred, with some nests built up to 20 m (66 ft) off the ground although heights of several meters are more common. Rarely, large numbers of these birds congregate in heronries for nesting.[4][5][6]

The

tropical parts of its range – the green heron breeds twice a year.[4][5][6]

Tool use

Green herons are one of the few species of bird known to use tools. In particular, they commonly use bread crusts, insects, or other items as bait. The bait is dropped onto the surface of a body of water to lure fish. When a fish takes the bait, the green heron then grabs and eats the fish.[17]

Gallery

  • Nestlings
    Nestlings
  • Subadult retaining some juvenile plumage
    Subadult retaining some juvenile plumage
  • Young adult B. v. virescens
    Young adult B. v. virescens
  • Breeding plumage
    Breeding plumage
  • Adult
    Adult
  • Adult
    Adult
  • Hunting in New York
    Hunting in New York
  • in Guatemala
    in Guatemala
  • Subspecies B. v. maculata with neck extended
    Subspecies B. v. maculata with neck extended
  • Juvenile, Glastonbury, CT USA
    Juvenile, Glastonbury, CT USA

References

  1. ^ BirdLife International (2012). "Butorides virescens". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  2. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4
    .
  3. ^ "Rare green heron spotted in Llanmill, Pembrokeshire". BBC News. 30 April 2018. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  4. ^
    ISBN 84-87334-10-5
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Cornell Lab of Ornithology. "Green Heron". Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Dewey, T. & Butzbaugh, J. (2001): Animal Diversity Web: Butorides virescens. Retrieved 2008-FEB-12.
  7. ^ "Green Heron Identification, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology". www.allaboutbirds.org. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
  8. ^ "ITIS Report: Butorides virescens". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
  9. ^ a b Moore, Amanda A.; Green, M. Clay; Huffman, David G.; Simpson, Thomas R. (2016). "Green Herons (Butorides virescens) in an Urbanized Landscape: Does Recreational Disturbance Affect Foraging Behavior?". The American Midland Naturalist. 176 (2): 222–233.
  10. ^ a b "Butorides virescens (Green Heron)" (PDF). The Online Guide to the Animals of Trinidad and Tobago. University of the West Indies.
  11. ^ a b c "Butorides virescens (Green heron)". Animal Diversity Web.
  12. ^ a b Davis Jr., William E.; Zickefoose, Julie (1998). "Bait-fishing by Birds: A Fascinating Example of Tool Use". Bird Observer. 26 (3): 139–143.
  13. ^ Henninger, W.F. (1906). "A preliminary list of the birds of Seneca County, Ohio" (PDF).
    Wilson Bulletin
    . 18 (2): 47–60.
  14. ^ Ohio Ornithological Society (2004): Annotated Ohio state checklist Archived 2004-07-18 at the Wayback Machine.
  15. ^ Cornell Lab of Ornithology. "Green Heron". Retrieved 2011-05-11.
  16. ^ Seattle Audubon Society. "Green Heron". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
  17. ^ "Green Heron Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology". www.allaboutbirds.org. Retrieved 2022-05-22.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Green heron.
Wikispecies has information related to Butorides virescens.
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