Green heron
Butorides virescens
Identification Tips:
- Length: 14 inches Wingspan: 25 inches
- Sexes similar
- Small, short-legged and short-necked heron
- Yellow legs
- Tucks neck in close to body in flight and often at rest, rarely
extending it
- Black cap
- Blue-gray back and wings
Adult:
- Chestnut neck
- White chin
- White stripe down center of neck
Immature:
- Reddish-brown and white streaks on head and neck
- Extensive white spots on wing coverts
Similar species:
No similar species. Least Bittern is much smaller with buff
head and neck and buff patches on wing coverts.
Length and wingspan from: Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc.