Green-backed Heron

Butorides striatus

Other Names

  Striated Heron, Little Heron   Héron vert, Héron strié, Héron à dos vert   Mangrovereiher   Garcita Verdosa   Mangrovereiher, Grönhäger   Mangrovereiger   Airone dorsoverde

World: Lowlands of Africa, southern and eastern Asia. Australasian region, southern Oceania, south Central and South America

Kenya: Locally Common in the southern half of the country on water with thick-fringing or overhanging vegetation. Mostly absent from the North except around Lake Turkana

A solitary and shy bird which forages among low waterside roots and branches. Interestingly this species uses a method of foraging known as "baiting" in which the bird uses a piece of bread, an insect or even a small twig to attract fish. It is predominantly a crepuscular bird but varies its habits according to local conditions so it also exhibits diurnal and nocturnal habits.