Agami Heron

Agami Heron
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Pelecaniformes
Family:	Ardeidae
Genus:	Agamia Reichenbach, 1853
Species:	A. agami
Binomial name
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).

Chicks

The Agami Heron's habitat is forest swamps and similar wooded wetlands. They nest in colonies on platforms of sticks in trees over water, which may gather more than 100 nests (Fleck 2003). The normal clutch is two blue eggs. This uncommon and localised species is 66–76 cm 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. They also take frogs, small reptiles, and snails.

References

• BirdLife International (2008). Agamia agami. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 5 February 2009. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern.
• Birds of Venezuela by Hilty, ISBN 0-7136-6418-5
• Fleck, L. C. (2003). Aspectos reprodutivos e conservação de um ninhal de Agamia agami (AVES: ARDEIDAE) na RDS Amanã – AM. Anais do XI Congresso Brasileiro de Ornitologia, p. 3.

External links

Media related to Agami Heron (Agamia agami) at Wikimedia Commons

• Agami Heron videos on the Internet Bird Collection
• Images from Brazil
• Stamps (for Suriname) with RangeMap
• Agami Heron photo gallery VIREO
• Photo; Article sunbirdtours
• Photo--Very High Res; Article turtleprotection.org
• "The Agami Heron" article & Photo--Medium Res—"Birds-Belize"