Boat Billed Heron
by Deena Stoddard
Title
Boat Billed Heron
Artist
Deena Stoddard
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
The Boat-billed Heron, colloquially known as the Boatbill, is an atypical member of the heron family. It lives in mangrove swamps from Mexico south to Peru and Brazil. It is a nocturnal bird, and breeds semi-colonially in mangrove trees, laying 2-4 bluish white eggs in a twig nest.
The Boatbilled Heron is about 54 cm long. The adult has a black crown, long crest and upper back. The face, throat and breast are white, and the lower underparts are rufous with black flanks. The wings and lower back are pale grey. The massive broad scoop-like bill, which gives rise to this species' name, is mainly black. They feeds on fish, rodents, eggs, crustaceans, insects and amphibians.
This beautiful specimen was captured at Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield, Missouri.
All images © 2011-2020 Deena Stoddard ~ All Rights Reserved
Uploaded
June 5th, 2013
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