Green Heron (Butorides virescens)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Butorides ("resembling a bittern") virescens ("greenish")

Subadult Green Heron (subspecies B. v. anthonyi)  at Berkeley, California - August 2022

Featured Subspecies: Butorides virescens anthonyi
Weight: 240g  /  Length: 41-46cm  /  Wingspan: 64-68cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern*

*(Last assessed while still considered a part of Striated Heron)

Formerl considered part of the Striated Heron found in Asia, the Green Heron is a small secretive member of the heron family most often seen at dawn and dusk. Some populations are resident and some migratory, and there is evidence that in migratory populations they may develop longer wings.

Related Species:
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Ardeidae
Genus: Butorides
SUBSPECIES: B. v. anthonyi, B. v. bahamensis, B. v. frazari, B. v. maculaa, B. v. virescens

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 

Found throughout the Eastern States and in the South and Coastally in the West.
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Berkeley

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

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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 .