This is a taxonomically disputed species. Some authorities want to include three species under the term Butorides striata (then called 'Striated heron' in English), while others divide these into three distinct species: the Mangrove heron (Butorides striata) with a distribution in South America, Africa, Asia, Australia and Oceania; the Green-backed heron (Butorides virescens) which is found in North America; and the Lava heron (Butorides sundevalli) which is found only on the Galapagos Islands.