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Nearby · Lucas Co.
Green Heron (Butorides virescens)
(c) Tom Kennedy, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Tom Kennedy · CC BY 4.0 (opens in a new tab) · iNaturalist (opens in a new tab)
BirdsIn Lucas County, Ohio

Green Heron

Butorides virescens (Linnaeus, 1758)

Green Heron in all of Ohio
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Pelecaniformes
Family
Ardeidae
Genus
Butorides
Near Lucas County

Range

Where it is recorded

Season shown in 5 of Ohio's 88 counties. Its mapped range covers 88. Explore Ohio

  • No result yet (0)
  • Within its mapped range (15)
  • Recorded, too few records for a result (53)
  • Recorded, season not shown (15)
  • Season shown (5)
Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 Cartographic Boundary Files, 1:500,000. Range: USGS Gap Analysis Project, Species Range Maps CONUS_2001 (2018). Show as a table
Counties as a table
Green Heron by Ohio county: records and mapped range
CountyRecordsIn mapped range
Adams CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Allen CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Ashland CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Ashtabula CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Athens County20 · Recorded, season not shownYes: summer
Auglaize CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Belmont CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Brown CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Butler County34 · Season shownYes: summer
Carroll CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Champaign CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Clark CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Clermont CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Clinton CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Columbiana CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Coshocton CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Crawford CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Cuyahoga County163 · Recorded, season not shownYes: summer
Darke CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Defiance CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Delaware County20 · Recorded, season not shownYes: summer
Erie County79 · Recorded, season not shownYes: summer
Fairfield CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Fayette CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Franklin County97 · Season shownYes: summer
Fulton CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Gallia CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Geauga County24 · Recorded, season not shownYes: summer
Greene County23 · Recorded, season not shownYes: summer
Guernsey CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Hamilton County42 · Season shownYes: summer
Hancock CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Hardin CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Harrison CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Henry CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Highland CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Hocking CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Holmes CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Huron CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Jackson CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Jefferson CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Knox CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Lake County56 · Recorded, season not shownYes: summer
Lawrence CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Licking County31 · Recorded, season not shownYes: summer
Logan CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Lorain County86 · Recorded, season not shownYes: summer
Lucas County173 · Season shownYes: summer
Madison CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Mahoning CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Marion CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Medina County31 · Recorded, season not shownYes: summer
Meigs CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Mercer CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Miami CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Monroe CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Montgomery County20 · Recorded, season not shownYes: summer
Morgan CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Morrow CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Muskingum CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Noble CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Ottawa County23 · Recorded, season not shownYes: summer
Paulding CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Perry CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Pickaway CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Pike CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Portage County21 · Recorded, season not shownYes: summer
Preble CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Putnam CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Richland CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Ross CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Sandusky CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Scioto CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Seneca CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Shelby CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Stark County57 · Recorded, season not shownYes: summer
Summit County427 · Season shownYes: summer
Trumbull CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Tuscarawas CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Union CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Van Wert CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Vinton CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: summer
Warren CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Washington CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Wayne County25 · Recorded, season not shownYes: summer
Williams CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Wood CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer
Wyandot CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: summer

Season

When it is recorded

In Lucas County

Early May to late August, middle week May 17–23

Show over the bars
Recording in Lucas County · records of all species each week, 60,335 in all

Records per week from 173 records in 10 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Shows when people recorded it, not how common it is. The grey bars show how many records of all species were made here each week, so you can see when recording itself was high or low; the season is not adjusted by them.

Recorded on 112 dates. Latest record: September 2025.

Show as a table
Records of Green Heron in Lucas County each week, and records of all species
WeekRecords of Green HeronYears recordedRecords of all species
Jan 4–1000168
Jan 11–1700125
Jan 18–240085
Jan 25–310064
Feb 1–70081
Feb 8–140084
Feb 15–2100100
Feb 22–2800101
Mar 1–700137
Mar 8–1400150
Mar 15–2100202
Mar 22–2800278
Mar 29 – Apr 400355
Apr 5–1100421
Apr 12–1800788
Apr 19–2555700
Apr 26 – May 2431,295
May 3–91972,514
May 10–165485,269
May 17–233384,884
May 24–301051,850
May 31 – Jun 6431,817
Jun 7–13111,677
Jun 14–20111,553
Jun 21–27421,586
Jun 28 – Jul 4111,749
Jul 5–11111,976
Jul 12–18432,118
Jul 19–25332,090
Jul 26 – Aug 1211,646
Aug 2–8441,938
Aug 9–15421,606
Aug 16–22421,660
Aug 23–29321,644
Aug 30 – Sep 5441,585
Sep 6–12211,913
Sep 13–19111,724
Sep 20–26332,839
Sep 27 – Oct 3222,478
Oct 4–10002,869
Oct 11–17001,470
Oct 18–2400598
Oct 25–3100496
Nov 1–700365
Nov 8–1400264
Nov 15–2100168
Nov 22–2800160
Nov 29 – Dec 500127
Dec 6–1200133
Dec 13–1900113
Dec 20–2600152
Dec 27 – Jan 200170

In Ohio

Late April to late June, middle week mid-May, and again mid-July to mid-September, middle week mid-August

Recorded in two separate seasons, each shown with its own early, middle and late weeks.

Show over the bars
Recording in Ohio · records of all species each week, 1,691,199 in all

Records per week from 2,353 records in 10 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Shows when people recorded it, not a season or how common it is.

Show as a table
Records of Green Heron in Ohio each week, and records of all species
WeekRecords of Green HeronYears recordedRecords of all species
Jan 4–10006,211
Jan 11–17005,146
Jan 18–24004,645
Jan 25–31114,698
Feb 1–7006,023
Feb 8–14005,888
Feb 15–21005,436
Feb 22–28006,846
Mar 1–7008,321
Mar 8–140010,384
Mar 15–210012,620
Mar 22–280013,949
Mar 29 – Apr 40019,661
Apr 5–114326,860
Apr 12–186539,925
Apr 19–2533841,623
Apr 26 – May 297956,391
May 3–91391052,952
May 10–16208953,785
May 17–231411057,698
May 24–30831054,651
May 31 – Jun 6841053,099
Jun 7–1364953,700
Jun 14–20751056,625
Jun 21–27731055,361
Jun 28 – Jul 4551058,477
Jul 5–11641061,336
Jul 12–18901064,722
Jul 19–25871069,753
Jul 26 – Aug 11131059,416
Aug 2–81211059,712
Aug 9–151341055,994
Aug 16–22104954,328
Aug 23–291351051,772
Aug 30 – Sep 51441057,167
Sep 6–121151059,075
Sep 13–19951054,543
Sep 20–26431045,860
Sep 27 – Oct 329843,180
Oct 4–1011437,841
Oct 11–172230,824
Oct 18–241121,156
Oct 25–311119,021
Nov 1–70014,172
Nov 8–140012,621
Nov 15–21007,965
Nov 22–28008,136
Nov 29 – Dec 5116,083
Dec 6–12006,004
Dec 13–19005,423
Dec 20–26005,661
Dec 27 – Jan 2008,459

What these results show

These results show when people recorded a species, not when or where it occurs. Missing weeks and low counts do not mean absence or scarcity, and counts are not abundance. Contributed records reflect where, when and what people chose to observe.

Identification

How to identify it

Often confused with

  • Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax290 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
  • American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus232 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
  • Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea163 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
  • Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias132 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant

From iNaturalist’s similar-species counts, refreshed monthly: confusions in Ohio first, then worldwide. Only species with an Ohio result are listed.

When it is heard

Reported with a sound recording, too few times for a season.

From 1 iNaturalist records with a sound recording. Sounds are not kept or played here. Listen on iNaturalist (opens in a new tab)

Months not reported

  1. Jan: recorded
  2. Feb: no record
  3. Mar: no record
  4. Apr: recorded
  5. May: recorded
  6. Jun: recorded
  7. Jul: recorded
  8. Aug: recorded
  9. Sep: recorded
  10. Oct: recorded
  11. Nov: no record
  12. Dec: recorded

Not reported in Ohio in February to March and November, 2016 to 2025.

Land cover where it is recorded

Land coverIts recordsAll Ohio records
Developed33%49%
Wetland24%5%
Forest17%31%
Open water13%3%
Farmland9%11%
Grassland and shrub4%0.9%
Barren1%0.6%

From 833 records placed within 100 m, beside all Ohio records placed the same way. People record where they go, so this shows where records come from, not where the species lives. Land cover: USGS Annual NLCD, 2025 (opens in a new tab)

Sources

Where these results come from

  • Records from iNaturalist research-grade observations and expert-identified GBIF datasets, CC0, CC BY and CC BY-NC. Sources
  • Seasons use the published method and its evidence thresholds. Methods
  • See it on iNaturalist (opens in a new tab)OpenPhenology is independent and not affiliated with iNaturalist.

Records behind the Lucas County result

173 records from 2 datasets.

To cite: the GBIF download doi:10.15468/dl.y2jkt8 (opens in a new tab).

A spreadsheet (CSV) with a link to each record, on iNaturalist or GBIF. Records whose location was hidden by the observer or the source are counted but not linked.