Small and stocky with a daggerlike bill and a thick neck that is often drawn into their body. Adults have a deep green back and crown, and a chestnut neck and breast.
Small, compact heron. Juveniles are browner overall, with pale streaking on the neck and spots on the wings. Note dark cap.
Usually hunts from shore rather than by wading like other herons. Juveniles have buffy spots and feather edging on the wings.
Look rather ungainly in flight, often partially uncrooking their necks to giving them a front-heavy appearance.
The center of their neck is streaked, but the streaking can be hard to see as they frequently have their necks tucked in or they are crouched over making it difficult to see the center of the neck.
Generally appears all dark, except in good light when the feathers shine with an almost iridescent green color.
Juveniles are browner overall with more streaking on the neck than adults.
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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.
About the size of an American Crow; smaller than a Black-crowned Night-Heron
crow-sizedHerons, Egrets, and Bitterns(Order: Pelecaniformes, Family: Ardeidae)
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