"Green-backed Heron" is a collective term for certain herons. Small and compact among herons, these birds often feature green plumage – rare among the Ardeidae –, in particular on the back, wings and scapulars.
They were formerly believed to make up a single species Butorides striatus, but are now treated as three largely allopatric species:
- Striated Heron, Butorides striata – Widespread throughout the Old World tropics and in South America (Note that the grammatical gender of the specific name has been corrected from striatus)
- Lava Heron, Butorides sundevalli – Endemic to the Galápagos Islands off Ecuador
- Green Heron, Butorides virescens – Widespread from temperate North America south to Panama
These herons are tool-using animals. They are regularly seen picking up objects to use as a fishing lure, attracting prey fish.
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Striated Heron on the Galápagos Islands
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Lava Heron on the Galápagos Islands
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Green Heron in Florida