Common Name: Bare-throated Tiger Heron
Range: The Fascinated Tiger Heron is found in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. There natural habitat is rivers in Central America including Costa Rica and South America.
Size: Bare-throated Tiger Heron has a length of 80 cm (28-32 inches).
Weight: It has a body weight of 1.2 kg; but this is the largest tiger-heron.
Diet: Their diet includes fish, frogs, crabs and insects
Average life span: Bare-throated Tiger Heron can live 15-20 years, but normally their life span is 7-12 years.
Habitat: This large species is found in more open habitats such as lake banks and river. Most of the time, it waits motionless for right prey such as fish, frogs or crabs to come within the reach of its long bill. Mangrove swamps, riparian edges, brackish lagoons, marshes, wetlands, estuaries and rock-strewn coasts are the best habitat for them. It can be found throughout the Costa Rica’s prized national parks. Corcovado National Park is the natural habitat of Bare-throated Tiger Heron.
Breeding/Reproduction: Bare-throated Tiger Heron is a solitary breeder, not usually found in heron colonies. Their nest is a small flattish stick platform in a tree. The clutch consists of 2-3 green-tinged white eggs.
Costa Rica is a beautiful country that is situated at tropical region. Many people like to come see birds and other animals here. However, you have to be extremely cautious sometimes as well. Sometimes beautiful birds do reside in dangerous environments where you can find dangerous animals, like crocodiles. Same is true with Bare-Throated Tiger Heron. Bare-Throated Tiger Heron is beautiful bird that resides in Costa Rica. You can find it near coasts and in Tempisque River.
However, you must be careful when you visit Tempisque River and must have experienced guide along with you. Tempisque River is also filled with dangerous animals, like big crocodiles.
However, Bare-Throated Tiger Heron is very striking to viewers. This bird is very beautiful and has very pleasant behavior. They are from the Heron family. Like other Herons, Bare-Throated Tiger Heron likes to walk in water. However, it has smaller legs as compare to various Herons. Bare-Throated Tiger Heron do carries huge neck. Its neck has lines. Its feathers have shades between greenish-yellow to orange. They carry black head on top and side of their head is grey.
Bare-Throated Tiger Heron has length between 28 to 32 inches. They carry around 1200 grams of weight.
To adventurers, they bring lots of attractions. When adventurers see Bare-Throated Tiger Heron, they can confirm that they are near Wild River or lake. Again, you must be very careful when you go nearby river or lake in Costa Rica. Tiger Heron can be seen making sounds and keeping the whole ambiance alive. They do hunt fishes and frogs in low waters. You can see them moving around and having lively as well.
Children can watch Bare-Throated Tiger Heron in Zoos of Costa Rica. They are very excited when they see them in Zoo. They are also very adorable to children. Children can feel energetic and can watch Tiger Heron making sounds.
So when you go next time to Costa Rica, try to see Bare-Throated Tiger Heron in Zoo at least. However, you must be very cautious in regions where they live.
It has yellow-green facial skin and orange iris, and differs from other species of the genus by its bare yellow throat.
Bare-throated tiger-herons usually stay motionless for longer periods of time at the water’s edge, with the neck outspread diagonally and waiting for prey that include fish, crabs, frogs, and insects. They normally nests solitary. It lay 2 to 3 eggs, which are dull white tinged with green and ultimately with not very distinct brown spots.
Sometimes at late night on the Nicoya Peninsula, you can hear a howl that did not sound like a howler monkey. It sounded like a wild cat and you could imagine that jaguar or puma is nearby but strangely it is the voice of the Bare-throated Tiger Heron. If you hike in the early morning on the Finca de Monos trail that wound along a tiny creek in Curú Wildlife Refuge, this bird can seen.
In the north of west, the Tempisque River’s dry tropical forest is an important habitat for several kind of species like crocodiles, iguanas, monkeys, and aquatic and migratory birds such as the little blue heron, tricoled heron, bare throated tiger heron and many more. The variety of birds in the region of Guanacaste is the most extensive in the country.
The southern leg of the river passes through the Palo Verde National Park, a legitimate bird watching paradise, encircling mangroves, marsh and both fresh and salt water lagoons. It is calm, relaxing float through one of Costa Rica’s prized national parks, a memorable experience.