Green Heron

Butorides virescens

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPelecaniformes (Pelicans, Herons, Ibises, and Allies)
FamilyArdeidae (Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns)
GenusButorides (Green-backed Herons)
SpeciesButorides virescens (Green Heron)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Henri Pittier National Park

2 Verified sightings at Henri Pittier National Park From 2019 to 2026

35,964 Verified sightings across all 71 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Green Heron

The green heron (Butorides virescens) is a small heron of North and Central America. Butorides is from Middle English butor "bittern" and Ancient Greek -oides, "resembling", and virescens is Latin for "greenish". It was long considered conspecific with its sister species the striated heron (Butorides striata); when treated together, they were called "green-backed heron".

The green heron is a relatively small heron; adult body length is about 44 cm (17 in). The neck is often pulled in tight against the body. Adults have a glossy, greenish-black cap, an iridescent greenish back and wings that are gray-black grading into green or blue, a chestnut neck with a pair or more of white lines down the front, gray underparts and short yellow legs. The bill is dark with a long, sharp point. Female adults tend to be smaller than males, and have duller and lighter plumage, particularly in the breeding season. Juveniles are duller, with the head sides, neck and underparts streaked brown and white, tan-splotched back and wing coverts, and greenish-yellow legs and bill. Hatchlings are covered in down feathers, light gray above, and white on the belly.

The green heron's call is a loud... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Henri Pittier National Park

Butorides striata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Ardea alba

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Bubulcus ibis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Egretta thula

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Nycticorax nycticorax

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Egretta caerulea

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Syrigma sibilatrix

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Tigrisoma fasciatum

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Egretta tricolor

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Ardea cocoi

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Nyctanassa violacea

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Tigrisoma lineatum

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~70%
2	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~50%
3	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	~50%
4	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~50%
5	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~50%
6	Ciénaga de Zapata	🇨🇺 Cuba	~40%
7	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	~40%
8	Los Haitises National Park	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	~40%
9	Cañón del Sumidero National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~40%
10	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~30%
11	Jaragua National Park	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	~30%
12	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~30%
13	Isla del Coco National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
14	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
15	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	~30%
16	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
17	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
18	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
19	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
20	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~20%
21	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
22	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
23	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
24	Point Pelee National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~10%
25	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
26	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~10%
27	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
28	Saguaro National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
29	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
30	Coiba National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
31	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
32	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
33	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
34	Pico Bonito National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~10%
35	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
36	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
37	Utría National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~10%
38	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~10%
39	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
40	Shenandoah National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
41	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
42	Bahía de Loreto National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
43	Main Ridge Forest Reserve	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	~10%
44	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
45	Joshua Tree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
46	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
47	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
48	Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park	🇯🇲 Jamaica	<5%
49	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
50	Congaree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
51	Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary	🇧🇿 Belize	<5%
52	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
53	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
54	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
55	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
56	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
57	Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
58	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
59	Acadia National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
60	Irazú Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
61	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	Insufficient data
62	Chingaza National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
63	Los Quetzales National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
64	Galápagos Islands	🇪🇨 Ecuador	Insufficient data
65	Cabo Pulmo National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
66	Henri Pittier National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	Insufficient data
67	La Tigra National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	Insufficient data
68	Volcán Barú National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
69	Masaya Volcano National Park	🇳🇮 Nicaragua	Insufficient data
70	Yosemite National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
71	Chirripó National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data

← Back to Henri Pittier National Park

Green Heron

About the Green Heron

Recent sightings of Green Heron in Henri Pittier National Park

Closest Relatives at Henri Pittier National Park

Striated Heron

Great Egret

Cattle Egret

Snowy Egret

Black-crowned Night Heron

Little Blue Heron

Whistling Heron

Fasciated Tiger Heron

Tricolored Heron

Cocoi Heron

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

Rufescent Tiger Heron

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found