Green Heron

Butorides virescens

Green Heron (Butorides virescens) — Herons, Pelicans & Ibises of North America.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 19 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Canada Birds of the United Kingdom Birds of the United States Birds of Alberta Birds of British Columbia Birds of Manitoba Birds of New Brunswick Birds of Newfoundland and Labrador Birds of Nova Scotia Birds of Ontario

By family

Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Canada Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of the United Kingdom Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of the United States Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Alberta Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Manitoba Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of New Brunswick Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Newfoundland and Labrador Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Nova Scotia Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Ontario

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The Green Heron (Butorides virescens) is a member of the Ardeidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 202 g.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Pelecaniformes
Family Ardeidae Herons, Bitterns
Genus Butorides
Species virescens

Where it lives

Eastern, central USA to Panama

Quick facts

Weight: 202 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Ardeidae
Order: Pelecaniformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Green Heron hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Green Heron is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Green Heron (Butorides virescens) is a species of bird in the Ardeidae family, part of the order Pelecaniformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA e, c USA to Panama.

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 202 g, with a wing length of about 17.8 cm and a tail of around 6.4 cm.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 7.2 million km².

Songs & calls

Green Heron — Nocturnal flight call

Recorded by Jeff Stewart Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Green Heron?

The Green Heron is a large bird that weighs around 202 g.

Where does the Green Heron live?

The Green Heron is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA e, c USA to Panama, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Green Heron belong to?

The Green Heron (Butorides virescens) belongs to the Ardeidae family, in the order Pelecaniformes.

What does the Green Heron eat?

The Green Heron hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Green Heron migrate?

The Green Heron is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

What sound does the Green Heron make?

1 real field recording of the Green Heron — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Green Heron's range?

The Green Heron has a mapped global range of about 7.2 million km².