Lava Heron, Galapagos by David Whited

Lava Heron, Galapagos

David Whited

Lava Heron, Galapagos

Digital photography

Inv: MM-2013

The Lava Heron (*Butorides sundevalli*) is a small, dark, stocky heron endemic to the Galápagos Islands, standing about 35 cm tall with slate-gray to blackish plumage that camouflages perfectly against the black volcanic rock it perches on, along with yellow legs and a dagger-like bill; it's a solitary, patient hunter typically found alone along rocky shorelines and mangrove edges throughout the archipelago, where it stands motionless waiting to strike at small fish, crabs, and invertebrates, occasionally even using bait-fishing techniques like dropping leaves on the water to lure prey, and while closely related to the widespread Striated Heron, its isolated population and distinct traits lead many taxonomists to treat it as its own species.