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Heron

This is an article about the family of birds named Herons. For other things named Heron, see Heron (disambiguation)

Herons
Snowy Egret
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class:Aves
Order: Ciconiiformes
Family†:Ardeidae
Genera
Ardea
Zebrilus
Philherodias
Tigrisoma
Ardeola
Bubulcus
Egretta
Agamia
Butorides
Tigriornis
Tigrisoma
Gorsachius
Syrigma
Zonerodius
Nycticorax
† see also: Bittern

Herons are medium to large long-legged, long-necked wading birds of the family Ardeidae. This is one of the families in the order Ciconiiformes, which also includes other wading bird families:

Ciconiiformes

Boatbill is sometimes classed as a heron, and sometimes given its own family Cochlearidae.

Although herons resemble other families, such as the storks, ibises and spoonbills, unlike the latter groups, herons fly with their necks retracted, not outstretched.

The two Ardeidae genera Botaurus and Ixobrychus are named as Bitterns. Some herons, especially the white species, are called egrets.

Herons typically feed in shallow water or marshes, taking fish, frogs or small birds and mammals.

The heron species are:

Genus Ardea

Genus Philherodias Genus Butorides Genus Ardeola Genus Bubulcus Genus Egretta Genus Agamia Genus Tigrisoma Genus Tigriornis Genus Zonerodius Genus Zebrilus Genus Syrigma Genus Nycticorax Genus Gorsachius see also Bittern