Green Heron Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  Compared with most herons, Green Herons are short and stocky, with relatively short legs and thick necks that are often drawn up against their bodies. They have broad, rounded wings and a long, daggerlike bill. They sometimes raise their crown feathers into a short crest.

  Relative Size

  About the size of an American Crow; smaller than a Black-crowned Night-Heron

  crow-sized

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 16.1-18.1 in (41-46 cm)
    • Weight: 8.5 oz (240 g)
    • Wingspan: 25.2-26.8 in (64-68 cm)

  © Evan Lipton / Macaulay Library

• Color Pattern

  From a distance Green Herons look all dark. In better light they are deep green on the back with a rich chestnut breast and neck. The wings are dark gray. Juveniles are browner, with pale streaking on the neck and spots on the wings.

• Behavior

  Green Herons stand motionless at the water’s edge as they hunt for fish and amphibians. They typically stand on vegetation or solid ground, and they don’t wade as often as larger herons. In flight these compact herons can look ungainly, often partially uncrooking their necks to give a front-heavy appearance.
• Habitat

  Green Herons live around wooded ponds, marshes, rivers, reservoirs, and estuaries.