# Boat-billed Heron (*Cochlearius cochlearius*) The Boat-billed Heron is a unique bird with a big, flat bill that looks like a boat! They are often found resting quietly near water, waiting to catch fish and frogs. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Boat-billed Heron](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Boat-billed_Heron%252C_Transpantaneira%252C_Pocon%C3%A9%252C_Mato_Grosso%252C_Brazil_4.jpg&width=800) Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boat-billed_Heron%252C_Transpantaneira%252C_Pocon%C3%A9%252C_Mato_Grosso%252C_Brazil_4.jpg) ## Appearance The Boat-billed Heron has a distinctive, broad, and flat black bill resembling a boat's hull. Its head is topped with a shaggy black cap, contrasting with a white forehead and a greyish body. Chestnut-colored flanks add a touch of warm color to its otherwise muted plumage. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Pelecaniformes - **Family:** Ardeidae - **Genus:** Cochlearius ## Interesting facts - Baby boat-bills have a normal heron bill, changing as they grow! - Boat-billed herons are more closely related to night-herons than typical herons! - Their deep calls sound like frogs or barking dogs at night! - They often nest in groups, sometimes with other water birds! ## Special abilities - **Scoop-Bill Hunter:** Boat-billed Herons can scoop up prey from shallow water because their unique, wide bill acts like a net, trapping food. - **Night Vision Master:** Boat-billed Herons have large eyes adapted for low light, which helps them see clearly and hunt effectively in the dark. - **Ambush Camouflage:** Boat-billed Herons have grey and black plumage that helps them blend perfectly into shadowy wetland environments, allowing them to surprise prey. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 45-55 cm - **Wingspan:** 76-80 cm - **Weight:** 0.5-0.6 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-12 years - **Speed:** 35 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-4 - **Incubation:** 21-26 days ## Diet & Feeding These nocturnal hunters primarily use their special bill to scoop up fish, insects, and frogs! - **Primary Foods:** Small Fish, Frogs, Aquatic Insects, Crustaceans - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Guppy](https://www.snappit.app/explore/guppy) (*Poecilia reticulata*) — A small fish often hunted by herons. - **Hunts:** [American Bullfrog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-bullfrog) (*Lithobates catesbeianus*) — Adults and tadpoles are prey in wetland habitats. - **Eaten by:** [Spectacled Caiman](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spectacled-caiman) (*Caiman crocodilus*) — Preys on heron eggs and chicks in nesting colonies. - **Shelter:** [Red Mangrove](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-mangrove) (*Rhizophora mangle*) — Provides safe nesting and roosting sites above water. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Ambush Predator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ambush-predator): An ambush predator hunts by patiently waiting and concealing itself, then launching a sudden attack when unsuspecting prey comes within range. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance so they feel safe and can fly away. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Boat-billed Heron? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Boat-billed Heron? 45-55 cm ### What is Boat-billed Heron's wingspan? 76-80 cm ### How much does Boat-billed Heron weigh? 0.5-0.6 kg ### How long does Boat-billed Heron live? 10-12 years ### How fast can Boat-billed Heron move? 35 km/h ### What does Boat-billed Heron eat? These nocturnal hunters primarily use their special bill to scoop up fish, insects, and frogs! ### Where is Boat-billed Heron usually found? Wetlands ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Boat-billed Heron: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/boat-billed-heron)