Striated Heron (Butorides striata)
(aka Green-backed Heron)
Striated Heron, Pantanal, Mato Grosso, Brazil, Sept 2000 - click on image for a larger view Brazil

The Striated Heron is divided into about twenty subspecies spread across tropical and sub-tropical regions of the Americas, Africa and Asia.

The nominate subspecies, Butorides striata striata is the one to be found in South America.

Striated Heron, Pará, Brazil, January 2002 - click on image for a larger view It is small with short, yellow legs and the South American subspecies has grey on the sides of the head and the neck.

They feed mainly on fish and have been known to use a curious technique known as "baiting" whereby it will throw an insect onto the surface of the water in order to attract its prey.
Juvenile Striated Heron, Marchanteria Island, Amazonas, Brazil, July 2001 - click on image for a larger view The third and fourth photos show juveniles with heavily streaked neck and whitish spots on the wings.

There are illustrations in Hilty & Brown, Plate 2; HBW, Volume 1, pages 394 and 414 and Sick, Plate 3.

Compare it to the Green Heron Butorides virescens which is included as a sub-species of Butorides striata by some authorities.
Juvenile Striated Heron, rio Mapia, near Borba, Amazonas, Brazil, August 2004 - click on image for a larger view
Striated Heron, Belém, Pará, Brazil, November 2005 - click on image for a larger view
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