is present in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. It inhabits low lands up to 900 m above sea level, though in Venezuela it is only found below 500 m, and in Ecuador below 400 m. Although there are no migrations registered to this species and it is believed that is sedentary, there may be seasonal movements in Darien, Panama. Habitat The capped heron normally inhabits swamps and ditches in wet grasslands or rainforests. Sometimes it can venture into deeper ponds and rivers. They prefer to forage on the shore or in floating vegetation, but have also been observed in trenches of coffee plantations and flooded rice fields. Feeding Capped herons hunt mainly for fish, but also aquatic insects and larvae, tadpoles, and frogs. Fish taken as prey tend to be between 1 and 5 cm long. The insects are hunted in the nearby vegetation along the river or pond, and the fish in the shallow waters. In a typical hunting sequence the heron will stand erectly searching for potential prey; after locating it they will crouch slowly and extend their neck; finally they will introduce their beak into the water at a great speed to catch the prey. The frequency of success observed is 23%. They can also use the same sequence while walking in the shallows. They usually walk slowly, covering the same area repeatedly pausing for a few seconds, then slowly moving one foot to take a new step. There are reports of individuals doing aerial hunting, peaking, gleaning, foot paddling, dipping, swimming feeding, and bill-vibrating. Capped herons move frequently between feeding sites, sometimes flying up to 100m. They may be crepuscular, but have been observed foraging during broad daylight, unlike the night-herons. They usually hunt solitarily. Behaviour Territoriality Capped herons are strongly territorial; the same bird may be seen at a foraging site for weeks at a time. One capped heron was seen chasing another away from a foraging site, until the other bird settled high in a tree. Interspecific and intraspecific behaviour The capped heron is normally solitary, although there are cases where they have been found in couples or groups. Birds may be seen with other species such as snowy egrets (Egretta thula) and scarlet ibis (Eudocimus ruber), however other studies have found that they avoid large mixed-species flocks, appearing in fewer than 1% of 145 observed feeding