Heron
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| Snowy Egret | ||||||||||
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| † 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
- Ardeidae herons and bitterns
- Cochlearidae: Boatbill
- Balaenicipitidae Shoebill
- Scopidae Hammerkop
- Ciconiidae: storks
- Threskiornithidae ibises and spoonbills
- Phoenicopteridae flamingos
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.