Heron (original) (raw)

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