Diet

• Primarily small fish, including minnows, mullet, and killifish.

• Also feeds on shrimp, crabs, crayfish, frogs, tadpoles, aquatic insects, and other aquatic invertebrates.

• Hunts by slowly stalking through shallow water, running after prey, or standing motionless before striking with its long, pointed bill.

Range

• Found from the eastern and southern United States through Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America.

• Widespread along both the Pacific and Gulf coasts of Mexico, including the Zihuatanejo region, where it is a common year-round resident.

• Inhabits coastal lagoons, mangroves, estuaries, marshes, mudflats, tidal creeks, ponds, and other shallow wetlands.

• Most abundant in coastal habitats but also occurs inland around freshwater wetlands.

Male / Female

• Male: Slate-blue upperparts, white belly, and reddish-brown neck with a narrow white stripe down the front. During the breeding season, develops elongated head and back plumes and is slightly larger than the female.

• Female: Very similar in appearance but generally slightly smaller with shorter breeding plumes.

• Sexes cannot be reliably distinguished in the field except by subtle size differences or breeding behaviour.

Size

• Length: 56–76 cm (22–30 in)

• Wingspan: 91–96 cm (36–38 in)

• Weight: 350–500 g (12–18 oz)