Green heron Butorides virescens

Identification Tips:

• 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.