The Green-backed Heron is divided into about twenty subspecies spread across tropical and sub-tropical regions of the Americas, Africa and Asia. See the distribution map at Birdlife International.

The nominate subspecies, Butorides striata striata is the one to be found in South America and is often referred to as Striated Heron.

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.

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