The Boat-billed Heron is distributed from southern Mexico through Central America and into northern South America east of the Andes down to the mouth of the River Plate. It is found on the margins of freshwater rivers and lakes as well as in mangroves along coastal rivers.

We noticed this bird at 4:30 p.m. but too late not to disturb it. Photo 3, unfortunately out-of-focus, indicates its "normal" posture. After we had disturbed it, it started to move up the tree on the bank and extended its neck as can be seen in photos 1 and 2.