The Little heron is a small, long-billed bird in the heron family. It has a very wide distribution, extending across Africa south of the Sahara, southern Asia and Australia. The body length is 40-48 cm. An adult bird has a dark, often lead or silver-gray upperparts and a black cap with a nape tuft. The sides of the neck can vary from reddish-brown to light beige-gray depending on the subspecies. The species lives mainly in waterside areas, such as mangrove swamps, estuaries, rivers and lakes. It is known for its patient fishing style where it stands still or wades slowly to then quickly catch small fish, crustaceans and insects. The genus Butorides has undergone several changes in recent years. As of 2023, most scientists agree that it consists of four species: Little heron (Butorides atricapilla) in Africa, Asia, Australia and Oceania; Striated heron (Butorides striata) in South America; Galapagos [Lava] heron (Butorides sundevalli) in the Galapagos Islands; and Green-backed heron (Butorides virescens) in North and Central America.