Lava heron
| Lava heron | |
|---|---|
| |
| Adult onSanta Fe Island | |
Scientific classification
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Pelecaniformes |
| Family: | Ardeidae |
| Genus: | Butorides |
| Species: | B. sundevalli
|
| Binomial name | |
| Butorides sundevalli (Reichenow,1877)
| |
| Synonyms[1] | |
|
Butorides striata sundevalli | |
Thelava heron(Butorides sundevalli), also known as theGalápagos heron,is aspeciesofheronendemicto theGalápagos IslandsofEcuador.It is considered by some authorities — including theAmerican Ornithological SocietyandBirdLife International— to be a subspecies (or even just acolour morph) of thestriated heron(B. striata), and was formerly "lumped"with this species and thegreen heron(B. virescens) as thegreen-backed heron.[1]
Description
[edit]The adult is slate-grey to black, which allows it to blend in with the hardenedlava.The back feathers typically have a silvery sheen and it has a short crest on its head. When breeding, the heron has a black beak and bright orange legs, but these fade to grey after the breeding season.[2]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]These highly territorial birds are found inintertidal zonesandmangrove swampson all of the islands ofGalápagos Province.
Behavior
[edit]
Diet
[edit]The lava heron stalks small crabs and fish slowly before quickly spearing and eating them. They have also been known to eat the flies that gather near cacti and occasionally smaller birds.[3]
Interactions
[edit]These birds have little fear of humans. It has been noted they have flight behaviors, some of which may carry the purpose of territory defense/advertising.[4]
Calls
[edit]Lava herons are typically seen hunched over and they have a sharp alarm call (described as ascowsound).[4]During aggressive behavior they will use askuk-skukcall.[4]
Breeding
[edit]Unlike most herons, these birds nest insolitary pairsfor one breeding season in either the lower branches of mangrove trees or under lava rocks. [2][4]They can breed year-round, though typically from September to March, and can mate up to three times a year and have up to ten eggs each time.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ab"Galapagos heron".Avibase.
- ^abc"Lava Heron Nesting Season in Galapagos is here! Heads Up Birders!".Santa Cruz Galapagos Cruise.2017-10-20.Retrieved2019-10-16.
- ^Moran, Matthew D. (June 2010). "Predation by a Lava Heron (Butorides Striata Sundevalli) on a Small Ground Finch (Geospiza fuliginosa) in the Galapagos Islands".Waterbirds.33(2): 258–259.doi:10.1675/063.033.0216.ISSN1524-4695.
- ^abcdKushlan, James A. (1983). "Pair Formation Behavior of the Galapagos Lava Heron".The Wilson Bulletin.95(1): 118–121.ISSN0043-5643.JSTOR4161721.
Resources
- Heinzel, Hermann and Barnaby Hall. Galapagos Diary. Los Angeles; University of California Press, 2000.