Colours of Wildlife: Green-backed Heron
Created | Updated Apr 29, 2018
Green-backed Heron
Willem is a wildlife artist based in South Africa. He says "My aim is simply to express the beauty and wonder that is in Nature, and to heighten people's appreciation of plants, animals and the wilderness. Not everything I paint is African! Though I've never been there, I'm also fascinated by Asia and I've done paintings of Asian rhinos and birds as well. I may in future do some of European, Australian and American species too. I'm fascinated by wild things from all over the world! I mainly paint in watercolours. . . but actually many media including 'digital' paintings with the computer!"
Today's birdie is one I've seen many times, a Green-backed Heron (also called a Striated Heron), Butorides striata. Despite its name, it only has a slightly greenish gloss on its back. It's quite a small heron, with a typical stretched-out length of 40 cm/16" but usually looking much smaller since it keeps its long neck pulled in most of the time. Males and females look alike. The species is immensely widely distributed: it occurs over all of sub-Saharan Africa apart from the deserts, and also in Southeast Asia, Australia and South America. It is replaced by the similar Green Heron (sometimes included in the same species) in North America. It also occurs on many islands; the form that lives on the Galapagos Islands is sometimes also considered a distinct species, the Lava Heron.
Stealthy Fisherfowl of the Sheltered Waters
In South Africa, these herons can be found on many small bodies of water with well-vegetated margins. They typically seek out a perch such as a tree branch overhanging the water, or on aerial roots in mangrove forests. Along the coast they'll sometimes stand more conspicuously at the water's edge. Their hunting strategy is to lurk, motionless, intently peering at the water surface with their downward-directed, intense yellow eyes. As soon as a little fish, frog or other aquatic critter approaches within striking distance, the heron will shoot out its neck and grab it in its pointy bill.
But green-backed herons sometimes uses a strategy that goes beyond this stand-and-wait method. Like actual human fishermen, they'll use bait or a lure! They will drop a feather, a leaf, or even a piece of bread nicked from some people by the waterside, onto the water. Then, when a fish comes to investigate, the heron grabs it!
Because of their standing so still under overhanging vegetation, it is usually quite difficult to see these little herons. But when approached too closely, they'll suddenly fly off while sounding a loud 'squork'! Indeed this is how they're mostly seen, flying away over the water surface and exclaiming vehemently. They'll then dive into the shelter of reeds and other vegetation, and disappear.
Unlike other herons, green-backed herons usually breed singly rather than in colonies. Their nests are rather flimsy twig structures, situated low above the water surface in trees or shrubs. The clutch is two to five eggs. Newborn herons are naked and rather ugly! Their parents feed them on fish, which they gulp down whole. The chicks grow fast, especially their legs, and even before they fledge they start clambering about the vegetation.
Green-backed herons are still common over their huge range, and perhaps one of the bird species least in danger of extinction.
