"Green-backed heron" is a collective term for certain herons. Small and compact among herons, these birds often feature green plumage – rare among the Ardeidae –, in particular on the back, wings and scapulars.

They were formerly believed to make up a single species Butorides striata, but are now treated as three largely allopatric species:

• Striated heron, Butorides striata – Widespread throughout the Old World tropics and in South America (Note that the grammatical gender of the specific name has been corrected from striatus)
• Lava heron, Butorides sundevalli – Endemic to the Galápagos Islands off Ecuador
• Green heron, Butorides virescens – Widespread from temperate North America south to Panama

These herons are tool-using animals. They are regularly seen picking up objects to use as a fishing lure, attracting prey fish.