Green Heron
(Butorides virescens)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
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| IUCN Red List | LC - Least Concern |
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| NatureServe | N5B, N5N - Secure Breeding and Nonbreeding SNRB - Unranked Breeding |
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| Minnesota | not listed |
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Description |
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Size |
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15″ to 22″ in length 26″ wingspan |
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Voice |
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Similar Species |
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Habitat |
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Marshes, lakes, and streams with dense shoreline vegetation |
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Biology |
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Migration |
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April to September |
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Nesting |
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Food |
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Distribution |
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Occurrence |
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Common migrant and breeder |
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Maps |
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The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map |
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Taxonomy |
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| Class | Aves (birds) | ||
Order |
Pelecaniformes (pelicans, herons, ibises, and allies) | ||
Family |
Ardeidae (bitterns, egrets, herons) | ||
Subfamily |
Ardeinae (typical herons and egrets) | ||
Genus |
Butorides (green-backed herons) | ||
Bitterns, egrets, and herons (family Ardeidae) were formerly classified under the order Ciconiiformes. Based on a phylogenomic study published in 2008, the family was transferred to the order Pelecaniformes. This bird was formerly considered a subspecies of Green-backed Heron, and was named Butorides striata virescens. |
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Subordinate Taxa |
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Bahamas Green Heron (Butorides virescens bahamensis) Frazar's Green Heron (Butorides virescens frazari) Green Heron (Butorides virescens maculata) Green Heron (Butorides virescens virescens) Western Green Heron (Butorides virescens anthonyi) |
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Synonyms |
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Visitor Photos |
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Share your photo of this bird. |
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Margot Avey |
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Megan |
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Nancy Berg |
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Bird lover |
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| We have a small pond/lake behind our house. We saw it in the shallow part of the water pulling out minnows. |  |
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Zac Davenport |
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Gerry Garcia |
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| When I tried to get just a step closer, it flew away. |  |
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Norm & Peg Dibble |
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| Green Heron, just a funny photo sitting next to our metal art crazy bird. Just noticed—he appears to be banded on right leg. |  |
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Lynn Rubey |
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| An Adult Green Heron with a tadpole in its mouth perched on a log in a pond in The Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge. |  |
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| An Adult Green Heron perched on a long in a pond in The Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge. Here you can see the white markings on the chest and throat. |  |
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| A green Heron walking along a branch along the Minnesota River in Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge. |  |
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Kirk Nelson |
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| Juvenile green heron |  |
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CJ |
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Wayne Rasmussen |
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| White Egrets are occasional visitors to Maplewood Hts Park even though the Blue Heron tries to protect his territory with ferocity. |  |
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From a distance, the Green Heron is a dark, stocky bird hunched on slender yellow legs at the water’s edge, often hidden behind a tangle of leaves. Seen up close, it is a striking bird with a velvet-green back, rich chestnut body, and a dark cap often raised into a short crest. These small herons crouch patiently to surprise fish with a snatch of their daggerlike bill. They sometimes lure in fish using small items such as twigs or insects as bait. — From Cornell Lab - All About Birds |
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Christa Rittberg |
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Observed in White Bear Lake. |
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Elizabeth Daughton |
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| An immature great blue heron searches for food. |  |
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| A green heron sits quietly. |  |
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| A green heron searches for fish and other food sources. |  |
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Shelley Taylor |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Slideshows |
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| Green Heron Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren |
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| Green Heron Ed McVicker |
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| Green Heron JMC Nature Photos |
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Visitor Videos |
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Share your video of this bird. |
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Holly Potter |
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| Green Heron 01 Published on Jun 24, 2018 |
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About
I believe it has a nest in the Rees nearby. I see it a couple of times daily sneaking into what looks like a nest made of dried reeds. Saw him or her catching fish a few times. |
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| Green Heron 02 Published on Jun 24, 2018 |
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About
I believe it has a nest in the Rees nearby. I see it a couple of times daily sneaking into what looks like a nest made of dried reeds. Saw him or her catching fish a few times. |
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| Green Heron 03 Published on Jun 24, 2018 |
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About
I believe it has a nest in the Rees nearby. I see it a couple of times daily sneaking into what looks like a nest made of dried reeds. Saw him or her catching fish a few times. |
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Other Videos |
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| Green Heron - stealthy hunter - California Clive Bramham |
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About
Uploaded on Apr 3, 2011 Green Heron (Butorides virescens; Grønnrygghegre) adult foraging at Upper Newport Bay (Back Bay), Orange County, California. Bird hops from rock to muddy rock, crouching and flaring its crest. A model of patience and focus, the bird steps through shallow water without disturbing the sediment. Birds of California playlist. Birds of North America. Butorides viriscencs. MP4 |
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| GREEN HERON CATCHING FISH_0001.wmv TINKERPOPPYIMBA |
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About
Published on Apr 5, 2012 Intelligent Heron catching fish using bread as bait |
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| Green Heron Calling orangescope |
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About
Published on Jun 19, 2013 An adult Green Heron gives its signature call at the Venice Rookery. |
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| Green Heron at the Raritan River - Best Ever in HD my35Xvision |
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About
Published on Sep 13, 2012 Green Heron at the Raritan River - Best Ever http://www.youtube.com/user/my35Xvision -- back to my channel Filmed by my35Xvision in Duke Island Park at the Raritan River on September 13, 2012 This was short and beautiful moment in nature... Make sure you subscribe/like/comment/share! Please visit my channel to view more exciting videos: |
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Visitor Sightings |
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Report a sighting of this bird. |
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| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Be sure to include a location. |
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| Margot Avey 7/18/2022 |
Location: Westwood Nature Center, St Louis Park MN |
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| Megan 7/16/2022 |
Location: Chaska, Minnesota |
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Nancy Berg |
Location: Woodbury, MN |
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Bird lover |
Location: Woodbury, MN |
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| Margot Avey 9/18/2020 |
Location: Westwood Nature Center |
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| Zac Davenport 6/4/2020 |
Location: Savage, MN |
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| Gerry Garcia 8/27/2019 |
Location: Hyland Lake Park Reserve When I tried to get just a step closer, it flew away. |
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| Norm & Peg Dibble 7/5/2019 |
Location: Maple Grove, MN Green Heron, just a funny photo sitting next to our metal art crazy bird. Just noticed—he appears to be banded on right leg. |
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| Lynn Rubey 6/19/2019 |
Location: Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge An Adult Green Heron with a tadpole in its mouth perched on a log in a pond in The Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge. |
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| Lynn Rubey 9/8/2018 |
Location: Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge A green Heron walking along a branch along the Minnesota River |
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| Kirk Nelson 8/11/2018 |
Location: Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary |
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| Holly Potter 6/21/2018 |
Location: Pine Mountain Lake, Backus, Minnesota I believe it has a nest in the Rees nearby. I see it a couple of times daily sneaking into what looks like a nest made of dried reeds. Saw him or her catching fish a few times. |
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| CH 6/9/2018 |
Location: Lake Kohlmeier, Owatonna MN |
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| Jannine Mclaughlin 5/27/2018 |
Location: Cambridge, MN It has a nest in my tree! |
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| Wayne Rasmussen 5/21/2018 |
Location: Joy Park |
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| Peter Nelson 5/10/2018 |
Location: Zumbro River, Pine Island, MN Bright red legs |
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| Christa Rittberg 6/9/2017 |
Location: Ramsey County, MN Observed in White Bear Lake. |
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| Elizabeth Daughton 9/14/2016 |
Location: pond at Colonial Church in Edina An immature great blue heron searches for food. |
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| Elizabeth Daughton 8/8/2016 |
Location: Bredsesen Park, Edina A green heron sits quietly. |
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| Wayne Rasmussen 6/27/2016 |
Location: Maplewood Hts |
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| Shelley Taylor 6/21/2016 |
Location: Balm Lake, Minnesota Spotted on Balm Lake, northwest of Bemidji, MN. |
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| Wayne Rasmussen 6/8/2016 |
Location: Maplewood Hts Park White Egrets are occasional visitors to Maplewood Hts Park even though the Blue Heron tries to protect his territory with ferocity. |
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| Wayne Rasmussen 5/31/2016 |
Location: Maplewood Hts Park - our backyard 100% crop from Tamron 70-300mm- our resident green heron family in 2011 |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
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