Striated Heron (Butorides striata)

OTHER NAMES: Little Heron, Little Green Heron, Green-backed Heron, Mangrove Heron

Latin Etymology: Butorides ("resembling a bittern") striata ("striated")

Adult Striated Heron (subspecies B. s. javanica) at Malacca, Malaysia - July 2016

Featured Subspecies: Butorides striata javanica
Weight: 125-250g  /  Length: 35-45cm  /  Wingspan: 50-60cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A very widespread species, found across the tropics of the globe - found on every continent except Europe and Antarctica.  It is highly variable between the subspecies with different races having different plumage patterns and coloration - even on the legs.   In Malaysia, this species was easily the most common heron seen on my trip and was seen in both fresh and saltwater habitats - and indeed occasionally just in trees not particularly near bodies of water.  It is known to feed on lizards and insects as well.

Related Species:
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Ardeidae
Genus: Butorides
SUBSPECIES: B. s. sundevalli, B. s. atricapilla, B. s. rutenbergi, B. s. brevipes, B. s. crawfordi, B. s. rhizophorae, B. s. degens, B. s. albolimbata, B. s. chloriceps, B. s. javanica, B. s. amurensis, B. s.  actophila, B. s. spodiogaster, B. s. carcinophila, B. s. steini, B. s. moluccara, B. s. idenburgi, B. s. stagnatalis, B. s. flyensis, B. s. macrorhyncha, B.s. solomonensis, B. s. patruelis 

 - Sighting Locations -

CAMBODIA - Khmer - ក្រអាច់ ឬ ក្រសាស្វាយ ("Paper"  / "Purple paper")

 A fairly common resident..

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP:Seen at Prek Toal 

MALAYSIA - Malay - Pucung Keladi

Common resident

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: The most common heron in the region - seen in Kuala Lumpur and Malacca 

SINGAPORE - A local resident

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP:Several at Sungei Buloh

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto