The bill on a green heron is long, sharp, and pointed , and it is usually dark on top rather than plain yellow. Some sources note a yellow or yellowish lower mandible or a yellow area near the bill base, but the bill itself is not simply yellow overall.

Quick answer

  • Length: Long relative to the head, with a dagger-like shape.
  • Color: Mostly dark; sometimes yellowish underneath or near the base.

What to look for

A green heron usually looks like a small, dark heron with a pointed bill and yellowish legs, so the bill color can be a helpful field mark but not a solid yellow one. In breeding plumage, one source says the bill may become all black.

TL;DR

A green heron’s bill is long and pointed , and not fully yellow ; it is mostly dark, sometimes with yellowish areas underneath.