Agami Heron
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| Agami Heron | ||||||||||||||
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| Agamia agami (Gmelin, 1789) |
The Agami Heron, Agamia agami, is a medium-sized heron. It is a resident breeding bird from Central America south to Peru and Brazil.
It is sometimes known as the Chestnut-bellied Heron, and is the only member of the genus Agamia (Reichenbach, 1853).
The Agami Heron's habitat is forest swamps and similar wooded wetlands. They nest in small colonies on platforms of sticks in trees over water. The normal clutch is two blue eggs.
This uncommon and localised species is 66-76cm in length. It is short-legged for a heron, but has a very long thin bill. This is a beautiful and unmistakable bird. The neck and underparts are chestnut, with a white line down the centre of the foreneck, and the wings are green. There are wispy pale blue feathers decorating the head, sides of the foreneck and lower back. The legs, bill and bare facial patch are dull yellow.
The sexes are similar, but immature Agami Herons are largely brown above, with a white foreneck and streaked brown and white underparts.
Despite its stunning plumage, this reclusive species' preference for shade and overhanging vegetation means that it is rarely seen at its best.
This is a quiet bird, but pairs and family groups may make various snoring or rattling sounds.
Agami Herons stalk their fish prey in shaded shallow water, often standing still or moving very slowly. They rarely wade in open water.
Reference
- Birds of Venezuela by Hilty, ISBN 0-7136-6418-5
External link
- images (http://www.arthurgrosset.com/sabirds/agami%20heron.html)fr:Héron agami