The fasciated tiger heron (Tigrisoma fasciatum) is a species of heron in the family Ardeidae. It is present in southern Central America and parts of northern and central South America, where its natural habitat is rivers.
In 1988 the fasciated tiger heron was categorized by the IUCN as Near Threatened but as of 2004 they have been recategorized as Least Concern.
Taxonomy
First described as Ardea fasciata by George Such in 1825 from a specimen collected in Serro do Imbé, Brazil, the fasciated tiger heron is now one of three species assigned to the genus Tigrisoma. In the past, it has sometimes been considered as a subspecies of the rufescent tiger heron. It has three subspecies:
T. f. fasciatum, described by Such in 1825, is found in extreme northeastern Argentina and southeastern Brazil.
T. f. pallescens, described by Claes C. Olrog in 1950, is found in northwestern Argentina.
T. f. salmoni, described by Philip Lutley Sclater and Osbert Salvin in 1875, is the most widespread of the subspecies, found on the Caribbean slope in Costa Rica and Panama, east and west of the Andes in Colombia, south through eastern Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia, and in northern Venezuela.
The genus name Tigrisoma is a combination of the Greek words tigris, meaning "tiger" and somā, meaning "body". The species name fasciatum is a late Latin word meaning "banded". Both the scientific name and the common names refer to the fine barring on the upperparts of both adult and immature birds.
Description
Tigrisoma fasciatum illustrated by Joseph Smit
At 23–25 in (58–64 cm) in length, the fasciated tiger heron is the smallest of the three tiger herons. The adult's crown is black, and the sides of its face are slaty gray. Its neck and upperparts are black, with widely spaced, fine, pale buff stripes. Its abdomen is grayish-cinnamon to warm brown, and its flanks are gray. Its beak, which is shorter and stouter than those of other tiger herons, is black above and yellowish-green below,...
