Cocoi Heron (Ardea cocoi)
(aka White-necked Heron)
White-necked Heron, Pantanal, Sept 2000 - click on image for a larger view Brazil

The White-necked Heron is found in South America and forms a superspecies with the Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) of North America and the Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) of Europe, Asia and Africa. Being parts of a superspecies they are all very similar. The White-necked has more black on the head than the other two.

White-necked Heron, Roraima, July 2001 - click on image for a larger view The White-necked Heron is the largest Brazilian heron. Its diet is similar to other herons but it has also been known to eat small caiman.

Its Brazilian name is Socó-grande: socó meaning "the bird that stands only on one leg"
White-necked Heron, Ilha São José, Roraima, July 2001 - click on image for a larger view The fifth photo shows an immature bird which is much greyer and shows more streaking on the underparts and lower neck.

There are illustrations in Hilty & Brown, Page 61 and in HBW, Volume 1, Page 404

Cocoi Heron, Taim, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, August 2004 - click on image for a larger view

Immature Cocoi Heron, Aguas de São Pedro, São Paulo, Brazil, August 2004 - click on image for a larger view

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