Green Heron (Butorides virescens) is in the Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns family (Ardeidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 99,392 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in August.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: seasonal. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
Conservation status (iNaturalist): G4.
When to photograph Green Heron: observations by month (U.S.)
Green Heron by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 17,942 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Texas | 17,793 | May | Apr–Sep |
| California | 13,642 | August | Jul–Jun |
| Ohio | 3,954 | May | May–Sep |
| Virginia | 3,911 | August | Apr–Sep |
| Maryland | 3,876 | August | Apr–Sep |
| Illinois | 3,086 | May | Apr–Sep |
| New York | 3,084 | August | May–Sep |
| Minnesota | 2,426 | August | May–Sep |
| Pennsylvania | 2,355 | August | Apr–Sep |
| North Carolina | 2,245 | July | Apr–Sep |
| Arizona | 2,040 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Massachusetts | 1,689 | August | May–Sep |
| Michigan | 1,670 | August | May–Sep |
| South Carolina | 1,558 | June | Apr–Aug |
| Wisconsin | 1,540 | August | May–Sep |
| Louisiana | 1,476 | April | Apr–Sep |
| Tennessee | 1,438 | August | Apr–Sep |
| Georgia | 1,276 | June | Apr–Sep |
| Oregon | 1,243 | August | May–Sep |
| New Jersey | 1,164 | August | May–Sep |
| Alabama | 1,068 | June | Apr–Sep |
| Arkansas | 959 | August | Apr–Sep |
| Indiana | 846 | August | May–Sep |
| Missouri | 794 | August | Apr–Sep |
| Delaware | 744 | August | May–Sep |
| Washington | 603 | August | Jul–Sep |
| Oklahoma | 573 | July | Apr–Sep |
| Vermont | 569 | August | May–Sep |
| Connecticut | 442 | August | May–Sep |
| Mississippi | 439 | June | Apr–Sep |
| Kentucky | 381 | August | Apr–Sep |
| Kansas | 357 | July | Apr–Sep |
| Nevada | 333 | June | Mar–Jan |
| District of Columbia | 282 | July | Jul–Sep |
| West Virginia | 270 | August | Jul–Sep |
| Nebraska | 193 | May | May–Sep |
| Iowa | 192 | August | May–Sep |
| Rhode Island | 176 | August | Jun–Sep |
| New Mexico | 174 | May | Apr–Sep |
| New Hampshire | 170 | August | May–Sep |
| Maine | 131 | August | May–Sep |
| South Dakota | 119 | August | May–Sep |
| Colorado | 92 | July | May–Oct |
| Utah | 33 | October | Sep–Oct |
| North Dakota | 32 | August | May–Sep |
| Idaho | 10 | February | Feb–Feb |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns)
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Black-crowned Night Heron
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Little Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron
Western Cattle-Egret
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Green Heron?
Nationally, August has the most observations, with the main season from April to September.
Where is Green Heron most often seen?
The most observations come from Florida, Texas, California.