HERONS, EGRETS, AND BITTERNS   -   ARDEIDAE

Rufescent Tiger-Heron Tigrisoma lineatum marmoratum Transpantanal Highway, Mato Grosso state, Brazil. Adult. (D2)

Rufescent Tiger-Heron Tigrisoma lineatum marmoratum Transpantanal Highway, Mato Grosso state, Brazil. Juvenile. The name "tiger-heron" probably came from the juvenile plumage. (S6)

Rufescent Tiger-Heron Tigrisoma lineatum marmoratum Transpantanal Highway, Mato Grosso state, Brazil. Juvenile. An odd behavior, hold one wing outstretched. I don't know why it was doing that. It didn't seem to be drying the wing out. (D2)

Fasciated Tiger-Heron Tigrisoma fasciatum salmoni Arenal Observatory, Alajuela province, Costa Rica. Adult. This heron only lives around fast-moving rocky streams and rivers. (S5)

Fasciated Tiger-Heron Tigrisoma fasciatum salmoni Zamora, Zamora-Chinchipe province, Ecuador. Juvenile. (S5)

Bare-throated Tiger-Heron Tigrisoma mexicanum Carara NP, Puntarenas province, Costa Rica. This hulking heron normally occurs from Mexico to Colombia, with vagrants recorded from southern Texas and northern Peru. (D3)

Agami Heron Agamia agami Pantanal Wildlife Center, Mato Grosso state, Brazil. Usually one of the hardest to see of the continent's heron's, since they stay in dense vegetation on the edges of slow moving rivers through forest. I also think it's one of the most beautiful of the family, with it's colorful plumage and amazing beak. This one amazingly sat in full view out in the open, the first time I'd ever seen one do that. (S5)

Boat-billed Heron Cochlearius cochlearius panamensis Carara NP, Puntarenas province, Costa Rica. A nocturnal heron. A small flock was roosting under the canopy of a small try by the edge of the river, but this one perched nearby in the open. Perhaps one of the many tourists visiting the park had startled it off its perch. (D2)		Boat-billed Heron Cochlearius cochlearius panamensis Ecocenter Danaus, Alajuela province, Costa Rica. There is quite a bit of individual variation in the amount of chestnut on the underparts. (S5)

Boat-billed Heron Cochlearius cochlearius cochlearius Pantanal Wildlife Center, Mato Grosso state, Brazil. This was a young bird that had boldly come out to the edge of the river in broad daylight (it's a nocturnal species). What I assume was mommy or daddy soon flew out of hiding and chased it back into cover! (S6)

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Nyctanassa violacea (subspecies?) Tárcoles, Puntarenas province, Costa Rica. Adult. I don't know which subspecies occurs in Costa Rica. (S5)		Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Nyctanassa violacea pauper Genovesa Island, Galapagos, Ecuador. Juvenile. This subspecies is endemic to Galapagos. (S5)

Green Heron Butorides virescens Carara NP, Puntarenas province, Costa Rica. A migratory species, breeding in North America and wintering south to northern South America. (D2)

Striated Heron Butorides striata striata Pantanal Wildlife Center (Santa Tereza), Mato Grosso state, Brazil. Current taxonomy makes this one of the most widespread species in the world, occurring on every tropical continent. (S6)

Striated (Lava) Heron Butorides striata sundevalli Bartholome Island, Galapagos, Ecuador. Lava Heron, endemic to the Galapagos, has now been lumped with the widespread Striated Heron despite the striking plumage differences. Apparently some hybridization occurs. (S1)

Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis ibis Northeast of Catemaco, Veracruz state, Mexico. (S5)

Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias cognata Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, Ecuador. Unlike anywhere else in South America, Great Blue Herons are permanent residents on the Galapagos. It is an endemic subspecies. (S5)

Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias herodias Tárcoles, Puntarenas province, Costa Rica. A wintering bird. (S5)

Cocoi Heron Ardea cocoi Transpantanal Highway, Mato Grosso state, Brazil. Formerly called White-necked Heron. (S6)

Cocoi Heron Ardea cocoi Transpantanal Highway, Mato Grosso state, Brazil. Note the bill color compared to the above photo. This bird is in breeding condition. (S6)

Great Egret Ardea alba egretta Transpantanal Highway, Mato Grosso state, Brazil. (D2)

Whistling Heron Syrigma sibilatrix sibilatrix Fazenda Santa Tereza (Pantanal lodge), Mato Grosso state, Brazil. A unique South American heron. It's not particularly tied to water, and is most often seen in pastures. (S6)

Capped Heron Pilherodius pileatus Reserva Ecologica de Guapi Assu, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. Definitely one of the prettiest of all the herons! It is mostly restricted to South America, but does get into E Panama. (D3)

Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor ruficollis Carara NP, Puntarenas province, Costa Rica. (D2)

Snowy Egret Egretta thula brewsteri Tárcoles, Puntarenas province, Costa Rica. (S5)

Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea Pousada Piuval, Pantanal, Mato Grosso state, Brazil. Adult. Little Blue Herons in South America are not migratory, unlike their North American brethren. (S5)

Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea Tárcoles, Puntarenas province, Costa Rica. Juvenile. (S5)