Heron Species
Heron Information 
FAMILY ARDEIDAE
Subfamily Tigrisomatinae
- Genus Cochlearius
- Boat-billed Heron, Cochlearius cochlearius
- Genus Tigrisoma
- Bare-throated Tiger Heron, Tigrisoma mexicanum
- Fasciated Tiger Heron, Tigrisoma fasciatum
- Rufescent Tiger Heron, Tigrisoma lineatum
- Genus Tigriornis
- White-crested Tiger Heron, Tigriornis leucolophus
- Genus Zonerodius
- New Guinea Tiger Heron, Zonerodius heliosylus
Subfamily Botaurinae
- Genus Zebrilus
- Zigzag Heron, Zebrilus undulatus
- Genus Ixobrychus
- Little Bittern, Ixobrychus minutus
- New Zealand Little Bittern, Ixobrychus novaezelandiae (extinct)
- Cinnamon Bittern, Ixobrychus cinnamomeus
- Stripe-backed Bittern, Ixobrychus involucris
- Least Bittern, Ixobrychus exilis
- Yellow Bittern, Ixobrychus sinensis
- Schrenck's Bittern, Ixobrychus eurhythmus
- Dwarf Bittern, Ixobrychus sturmii
- Black Bittern, Ixobrychus flavicollis
- Genus Botaurus : Botaurus has a single representative species in each of North America, Central and South America, Eurasia and Australasia. The two northern species are partially migratory, with many birds moving south to warmer areas in winter. The four Botaurus bitterns are all large chunky, heavily streaked brown birds which breed in large reedbeds. They are secretive and well-camouflaged, and despite their size they can be difficult to observe except for occasional flight views. Like other bitterns, they eat fish, frogs, and similar aquatic life.
- American Bittern, Botaurus lentiginosa.
- Great Bittern or European Bittern, Botaurus stellaris
- South American Bittern, Botaurus pinnatus
- Australasian Bittern, Botaurus poiciloptilus
Subfamily Ardeinae
- Genus Zeltornis (fossil)
- Genus Nycticorax
- Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Nycticorax violaceus or Nyctanassa violacea
- Bermuda Night Neron, Nycticorax carcinocatactes or Nyctanassa carcinocatactes (extinct)
- Black-crowned Night Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax
- White-backed Night Heron, Nycticorax leuconotus or Gorsachius leuconotus
- Rodrigues Night Heron, Nycticorax megacephalus (extinct)
- Réunion Night Heron, Nycticorax duboisi (extinct)
- Mauritius Night Heron, Nycticorax mauritianus (extinct)
- Ascension Night Heron, Nycticorax olsoni (extinct)
- Genus Gorsachius
- Nankeen Night Heron or Rufous Night Heron, Gorsachius caledonicus or Nycticorax caledonicus
- White-eared Night Heron, Gorsachius magnificus
- Japanese Night Heron, Gorsachius goisagi
- Malayan Night Heron, Gorsachius melanolophus
- Genus Butorides
- Green Heron or Green-backed Heron, Butorides virescens
- Striated Heron, Butorides striatus or Ardea striatus
- Genus Agamia
- Agami Heron, Agamia agami
- Genus Philherodias
- Capped Heron, Pilherodius pileatus
- Genus Ardeola
- Indian Pond Heron, Ardeola grayii
- Squacco Heron, Ardeola ralloides
- Chinese Pond Heron, Ardeola bacchus
- Javan Pond Heron, Ardeola speciosa
- Madagascar Pond Heron, Ardeola idae
- Rufous-bellied Heron, Ardeola rufiventris
- Genus Bubulcus
- Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis or Ardea ibis
- Genus Proardea (fossil): Extinct. It stood about 70 cm (2 ft 4 in) tall and was very similar to a modern heron in shape. The species is known from rather fragmentary fossils in the area of Quercy, France.
- Genus Ardea
- Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias
- Grey Heron, Ardea cinerea
- Goliath Heron, Ardea goliath
- Cocoi Heron, Ardea cocoi
- White-necked Heron or Pacific Heron, Ardea pacifica
- Black-headed Heron, Ardea melanocephala
- Madagascar Heron, Ardea humbloti
- White-bellied Heron, Ardea insignis
- Great-billed Heron, Ardea sumatrana
- Purple Heron, Ardea purpurea
- Great Egret or Great White Egret, Ardea alba
- Pied Heron, Ardea picata or Egretta picata
- Intermediate Egret, Ardea intermedia or Egretta intermedia
- Swinhoe's Egret or Chinese Egret, Ardea eulophotes or Egretta eulophotes : The Chinese Egret or Swinhoe's Egret is a full-crested, white egret with yellow bill. It breeds in Russia, North Korea, South Korea and mainland China. It is classified as Vulnerable, the biggest threat being habitat loss.
- Genus Syrigma
- Whistling Heron, Syrigma sibilatrix
- Genus Egretta
- Little Egret, Egretta garzetta or Ardea garzetta
- Snowy Egret, Egretta thula
- Reddish Egret, Egretta rufescens
- Slaty Egret, Egretta vinaceigula : The Slaty Egret is a small, dark egret. It breeds in Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and Mozambique. It is classified as Vulnerable, the biggest threat being habitat loss. The Slaty Egret is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.
- Black Heron, Egretta ardesiaca : The Black Heron is an African heron. It is found south of the Sahara Desert, including Madagascar. Its breeding range is between Senegal and Sudan and to the south. It is found mainly on the eastern half of the continent. The black heron has an interesting hunting method - it uses its wings like an umbrella, and uses the shade it creates to attract fish.
- Tricolored Heron or Louisiana Heron, Egretta tricolor
- White-faced Heron, Egretta novaehollandiae or Ardea novaehollandiae
- Little Blue Heron, Egretta caerulea
- Eastern Reef Egret, Egretta sacra or Ardea sacra
- Western Reef Heron, Egretta gularis
- Genus undetermined
- Easter Island Heron, Ardeidae gen. et sp. indet. (prehistoric)
Other prehistoric and fossil species are included in the respective genus accounts.
The night herons could warrant separation as subfamily Nycticoracinae, as it was traditionally done. However, the position of some genera (e.g. Butorides or Syrigma) is unclear at the moment, and molecular studies have until now suffered from a small number of studied taxa. Especially the relationship among the ardeidine subfamily is very badly resolved. The arrangement presented here should be considered provisional.
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