The boat-billed heron (Cochlearius cochlearius), colloquially known as the boatbill, is an atypical member of the heron family

Boat-billed herons feed on shrimp and small fish such as Dormitator latifrons, a species of sleeper goby.They tend to forage in vegetative streams, shallow water, and lagoons. When foraging in streams, they use low-hanging branches and mangrove roots to stand over the water. In ponds they will walk slowly through the water up to 10 cm (4 in) deep or will forage near the water's edge.