Green Heron Colonizes Bermuda
2009
Wingate, David B. | Madeiros, Jeremy L. | Kushlan, James A.
This paper reports the first record of the Green Heron (Butorides virescens) nesting on the oceanic islands of Bermuda. Nesting was first documented in 2002; nests were first found in 2003. From 2005––2007, the Green Heron nesting population was about 20 pairs, located at as many as seven sites dispersed over most of the islands. It is likely that the Green Heron nested on Bermuda for some years immediately before its discovery. A review of available information suggests that it may have nested also on Bermuda in pre-colonial times, possibly even into the historic period. During the study period, over 80 young have fledged at the two main nesting sites. Green Herons on Bermuda eat small fish at inland ponds and marshes and along the coast. This paper also provides the first published description of the occurrence, in 1985––1990, of the Striated Heron (Butorides striata) on Bermuda. Colonization of the Green Heron followed private and government engagement in wetland conservation action, which likely provided habitat required for the colonization event to be successful.
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