File:Boat-billed heron standing in grass - DPLA - 2497b9c8caed85bae13dcb738a8b3d01.jpg

35 mm slide; color. Scientific Classification: Kingdom: Animalia; Phylum: Chordata; Class: Aves; Order: Ciconiiformes; Family: Ardeidae; Genus: Cochlearius; Genus species: Cochlearius cochlearius. Animal characteristics: Head-Body Length: 60 cm; Weight: .59 kg; Identification: The boat-billed heron has a white forehead, throat, and breast. It has large eyes, a chestnut belly, and a broad bill. It is silver-gray in color with a black crown; Habitat: Swamps, forests near freshwater lagoons; Diet: Carnivore: shrimp, insects, frogs, fish, small mammals; Reproduction: A breeding pair's 2-4 eggs incubate 21-26 days before hatching; Social Structure: This heron species is usually solitary and very secretive; Behavior: Because they are nocturnal feeders, boat-billed herons locate their prey by touch; Status: No special status; Interesting Facts: Herons do not oil their feathers. Instead, they have powder down, a particular kind of feather that is never molted out and continuously grows.