Least Concern Birds

Green-backed Heron

Butorides striata

Green-backed Heron, fish-eating bird in African wetlands and riversides.

Scientific name	Butorides striata
Swahili name	Mkorongo wa kijani
Conservation status	Least Concern
Class	Aves
Order	Ciconiiformes
Family	Ardeidae
Size	Male: approximately 0.2-0.3 kg; Female: approximately 0.2-0.3 kg

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How to identify

Back and wing coverts have a greenish sheen; small body size, short neck; black crown feathers on the head; yellow eyes, short and pointed bill; wings edged with bluish-gray in flight

Habitat

Wetlands, river edges, lakes, swamps, and water bodies near sparse woodland savannas

Diet

Carnivorous, primarily feeding on small fish, amphibians, insects, and small aquatic invertebrates

When it is active

Mainly active at dawn and dusk, sometimes during the day

Where it lives

Widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, and the Americas; common in Kenya and the Masai Mara National Reserve

How to spot it

Observe quietly near water at dawn or dusk, paying attention to feeding behavior; use a telephoto lens to capture feeding moments

Photography tips

Utilize natural light during dawn and dusk for photography, capturing feeding and flight dynamics; choose water or wetland backgrounds to highlight its natural habitat

Threats

Habitat loss and water pollution; disturbance from human activities

Similar species

Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax): larger body size, darker coloration, mostly nocturnal; Green-backed Heron is smaller, brighter colored, mostly active at dawn and dusk

📖 how to spot the green backed heron on safari