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Birds of Zihuatanejo

CLASS AVES

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Chordates (Phylum Chordata)

-Vertebrates (Subphylum Vertebrata)

-Birds (Class Aves)

-Pelicans, Herons, Ibises, and Allies (Order Pelecaniformes)

-Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns (Family Ardeidae)

-Tiger-Herons (Subfamily Tigriornithinae)

-Boat-Billed Herons (Genus Cochlearius)

-Boat-billed Heron (Cochlearius cochlearius)


The Boat-billed Heron is an atypical member of the heron family. It lives in mangrove swamps from Mexico south to Peru and Brazil. It is a nocturnal bird, and breeds semi-colonially in mangrove trees, laying 2-4 bluish white eggs in a twig nest. The massive broad scoop-like bill, which gives rise to this species' name, is mainly black This species feeds on fish, mice, water snakes, eggs, crustaceans, insects and amphibians. Its calls include a deep croak and a high-pitched pee-pee-pee.

Boat-billed Heron

Cochlearius cochlearius

Diet

  • Primarily small fish, shrimp, crabs, crayfish, aquatic insects, frogs, tadpoles, and other aquatic invertebrates.

  • Also feeds on small reptiles and occasionally small mammals.

  • A nocturnal hunter, foraging along the edges of rivers, lagoons, and mangroves using its broad, scoop-shaped bill to capture prey.

Range

  • Found from Mexico through Central America and much of South America to northern Argentina.

  • In Mexico, it occurs along both the Pacific and Gulf coastal lowlands, including the Zihuatanejo region.

  • Inhabits mangrove forests, freshwater swamps, marshes, lagoons, estuaries, slow-moving rivers, and densely vegetated wetlands.

  • A year-round resident throughout its range.

Male / Female

  • Male: Large black crown with an elongated crest, gray upperparts, chestnut-edged wings, buff underparts, and an exceptionally broad, boat-shaped bill. Slightly larger than the female with a longer crest.

  • Female: Similar in plumage but generally smaller with a shorter crest.

  • Sexes are very similar in appearance and are difficult to distinguish in the field except by size or when observed together.

  • Size

    • Length: 48–58 cm (19–23 in)

    • Wingspan: 75–90 cm (30–35 in)

    • Weight: 500–800 g

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