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Roosting in the trees during the day, the boat-billed heron comes down at dusk to hunt.  Standing still in shallow water, the heron waits for small aquatic creatures to pass by and scoops them up with its wide bill.

boat billed heron on branch

Did You Know?

The odd-shaped bill of the boat-billed heron is an adaptation that allows the bird to scoop up fish, shrimp and frogs.

Quick Facts

Latin Name:
Cochlearius cochlearius

Range:
Mexico, Central and South America

Habitat:
Wetlands

Length:
Up to 1.7 ft

Zoo Location:
Birds of the World

Diet:
Fish, frogs, shrimp, and insects