The Bare-Throated Tiger Heron Tigrisoma mexicanum is a wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae, found from Mexico to northwestern Colombia. It is 80 cm (28–32") in length and weighs 1200 g.

This large species is found in more open habitats than other Tigrisoma herons, such as river and lake banks. It waits often motionless for suitable prey such as fish, frogs or crabs to come within reach of its long bill.

This is a solitary breeder, not normally found in heron colonies. The nest is a small flattish stick platform in a tree into which 2-3 green-tinged white eggs are laid.

Description

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The throat is bare and is greenish-yellow to orange in all plumages. The adult has black crown and light grey sides of head, the sides of the neck and the upperparts otherwise blackish narrowly barred buff. The median stripe down the foreneck is white bordered with black; the remaining underparts are dull cinnamon brown. The juvenile is buff coarsely barred with black, more mottled and vermiculated on wings; the throat, median underparts and belly are whitish.

The flight is heavy, and the call is a hoarse howk-howk-howk. Males also give a booming hrrrowwr! call, especially at sunset.

References

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• Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
• Robert S. Ridgely and John A. Gwynne - Birds of Panama with Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras
• Stiles and Skutch, A guide to the birds of Costa Rica ISBN 0-0814-9600-4

Herons