A Green Heron (Butorides virescens) which has settled in the Nieuwe Meer area of Amsterdam has attracted hundreds of birdwatchers from neighboring countries. Since the first confirmed sighting on Friday, 28 April, twitchers from all over the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany have come to see the bird.
The heron is a native of North America. The species is smaller than the native Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea ) of the Netherlands. The bird has settled along a ditch in the Nieuwe Meer area in the southwest of Amsterdam.
The bird, which is not ringed, has arrived from North America due to disorientation or unusually strong winds during migration, or the bird has “hitchhiked” to Europe on a ship.
