(Credit: U. S. Geological Survey)

Green Heron - Butorides virescens

Identification Tips:

  1. Length: 14 inches Wingspan: 25 inches
  2. Sexes similar
  3. Small, short-legged and short-necked heron
  4. Yellow legs
  5. Tucks neck close to body in flight & often at rest, rarely extending it
  6. Black cap
  7. Blue-gray back and wings

Adult:

  1. Chestnut neck
  2. White chin
  3. White stripe down center of neck

Immature:

  1. Reddish-brown and white streaks on head and neck
  2. 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.