Agami Heron

Alternative name: Chestnut-bellied Heron

Photo by Leif G
Sani Lodge, Ecuador, November 2009

Agamia agami

Identification

L. 66-76cm

• A medium-sized heron
• Short-legged
• Very long, thin bill
• Chestnut neck and underparts
• White line down the center of the foreneck
• Green wings
• Pale blue plumes on head, sides of foreneck, and lower back
• Dull yellow legs, bill and facial skin

A beautiful and unmistakable bird, the sexes are similar

Photo of a young bird
Photo by NJLarsen
Rio Tuquesa, Darien, Panama, January 2018

Immature

• Largely brown upperparts
• White foreneck
• Streaked brown and white underparts

Distribution

Central and South America: Found in tropical southern Mexico to northern Bolivia and western Amazonian Brazil.

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species^[1] in a monotypic genus.

Habitat

Forest streams and wetlands.

Behaviour

Very shy and rarely seen in the open.

Breeding

They nest in colonies on platforms of sticks in trees over water which may gather more than 100 nests (Fleck 2003). The normal clutch is two blue eggs.

Diet

Stalk their fish prey in shaded shallow water, often standing still or moving very slowly. They rarely wade in open water.

Vocalisation

This is a quiet bird, but pairs and family groups may make various snoring or rattling sounds.

References

1. Clements, JF. 2010. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2010. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/Clements%206.5.xls/view
2. Wikipedia

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Agami Heron. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 19 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Agami_Heron

External Links

• Arthur Grosset's Birds

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