Striated Heron

Ardeola ralloides

Striated Heron, Butorides striata, photo © by Michael Plagens

Lake Baringo, Kenya. Oct. 2016.

From Wikipedia:

Adults have a blue-grey back and wings, white underparts, a black cap, a dark line extends from the bill to under the eye and short yellow legs. Juveniles are browner above and streaked below. These birds stand still at the water's edge and wait to ambush prey, but are easier to see than many small heron species. They mainly eat small fish, frogs and aquatic insects.

The Striated Heron and the Green Heron (Butorides virescens) are closely related and some authorities have considered them as a single, variable and widespread speceies called the Green-backed Heron.

Ardeidae -- Heron Family

Books:

  • Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania by Zimmerman et al.
  • Birds of East Africa by Stevenson and Fanshawe

More Information:


Kenya Natural History

Copyright Michael J. Plagens, page created 11 Jan. 2017