Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...

Herons, Bitterns

Herons are medium-to-large wading birds in the family Ardeidae, with 72 recognized species, including egrets and bitterns. The genera Botaurus and Ixobrychus are known as bitterns. Egrets, often white and adorned with breeding plumage, are the same biologically as herons. These birds are distinguished by their long legs, necks, and beaks, and unlike similar families such as storks or ibises, herons fly with retracted necks. They are also characterized by powder down on their plumage. Most herons nest colonially in trees, while bitterns prefer reed beds. "Siege" is the term used for a group of herons. The English name "heron" dates back to around 1300, with French and Proto-Germanic origins. They are also colloquially known as shitepokes, reflecting their behavior when startled. The name shitepoke and other variations have historical references including in Shakespeare's work and royal decrees. Herons have a cosmopolitan distribution, found on every continent except Antarctica, typically in lowland regions close to water such as lakes, rivers, and coasts. They exhibit partial migration habits. Their carnivorous diet primarily consists of aquatic life. Unique hunting strategies involve elements of stealth, patience, and occasional use of bait to lure prey. Heron species are generally monogamous and colonial breeders with seasonal nesting, predominantly laying glossy blue or white eggs. Taxonomically, herons have been difficult to categorize correctly, with unresolved relationships between species and genera. Research suggests three main groups within the family: tiger herons and the boatbill, bitterns, and a combination of day herons, egrets, and night herons. The family is now classified under the order Pelecaniformes by the International Ornithological Congress. Fossil evidence has also contributed to understanding the evolution and history of herons, with several extinct species identified through remains.

Regions

Categories

All
African & New World Parrots
Albatrosses
Anhingas, Darters
Antbirds
Antpittas
Antthrushes
Auks
Austral Storm Petrels
Barn Owls
Black-capped Donacobius
Bushtits
Caracaras, Falcons
Cardinals & Allies
Chachalacas, Curassows, Guans
Chats, Old World Flycatchers
Cormorants, Shags
Cotingas
Cranes
Crows, Jays
Cuckoos
Dippers
Ducks, Geese, Swans
Finches, Euphonias
Finfoots
Flamingos
Frigatebirds
Gannets, Boobies
Gnatcatchers
Gnateaters
Goldcrests, Kinglets
Grebes
Gulls, Terns, Skimmers

Herons, Bitterns

Hummingbirds
Ibises, Spoonbills
Jacamars
Jacanas
Kingfishers
Kites, Hawks, Eagles
Larks
Leaf Warblers & Allies
Limpkin
Longspurs, Snow Buntings
Loons
Manakins
Mitrospingid Tanagers
Mockingbirds, Thrashers
Motmots
New World Barbets
New World Quail
New World Sparrows
New World Vultures
New World Warblers
Nightjars
Northern Storm Petrels
Nuthatches
Oilbird
Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches
Olive Warbler
Oropendolas, Orioles, Blackbirds
Ospreys
Ovenbirds
Owls
Oystercatchers
Parrotbills & Allies
Pelicans
Penduline Tits
Penguins
Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels
Pheasants & Allies
Pigeons, Doves
Plovers
Potoos
Puffbirds
Rails, Crakes & Coots
Sandpipers, Snipes
Sapayoa
Shrikes
Silky-flycatchers
Skuas
Spindalises
Starlings, Rhabdornis
Stilts, Avocets
Stone-curlews, Thick-knees
Storks
Sunbittern
Swallows, Martins
Swifts
Tanagers & Allies
Tapaculos
Thrushes
Thrush-tanager
Tinamous
Tits, Chickadees
Tityras, Becards, Sharpbill
Toucan Barbets
Toucans
Treecreepers
Trogons
Tropicbirds
Tyrant Flycatchers, Calyptura
Vireos, Greenlets, Shrike-babblers
Wagtails, Pipits
Waxbills, Munias & Allies
Waxwings
Woodpeckers
Wrens
Wrenthrush
Yellow-breasted Chat
App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.
12
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Species Categories

African & New World ParrotsAlbatrossesAnhingas, DartersAntbirdsAntpittasAntthrushesAuksAustral Storm PetrelsBarn OwlsBlack-capped DonacobiusBushtitsCaracaras, FalconsCardinals & AlliesChachalacas, Curassows, GuansChats, Old World FlycatchersCormorants, ShagsCotingasCranesCrows, JaysCuckoosDippersDucks, Geese, SwansFinches, EuphoniasFinfootsFlamingosFrigatebirdsGannets, BoobiesGnatcatchersGnateatersGoldcrests, KingletsGrebesGulls, Terns, SkimmersHerons, BitternsHummingbirdsIbises, SpoonbillsJacamarsJacanasKingfishersKites, Hawks, EaglesLarksLeaf Warblers & AlliesLimpkinLongspurs, Snow BuntingsLoonsManakinsMitrospingid TanagersMockingbirds, ThrashersMotmotsNew World BarbetsNew World QuailNew World SparrowsNew World VulturesNew World WarblersNightjarsNorthern Storm PetrelsNuthatchesOilbirdOld World Sparrows, SnowfinchesOlive WarblerOropendolas, Orioles, BlackbirdsOspreysOvenbirdsOwlsOystercatchersParrotbills & AlliesPelicansPenduline TitsPenguinsPetrels, Shearwaters, Diving PetrelsPheasants & AlliesPigeons, DovesPloversPotoosPuffbirdsRails, Crakes & CootsSandpipers, SnipesSapayoaShrikesSilky-flycatchersSkuasSpindalisesStarlings, RhabdornisStilts, AvocetsStone-curlews, Thick-kneesStorksSunbitternSwallows, MartinsSwiftsTanagers & AlliesTapaculosThrushesThrush-tanagerTinamousTits, ChickadeesTityras, Becards, SharpbillToucan BarbetsToucansTreecreepersTrogonsTropicbirdsTyrant Flycatchers, CalypturaVireos, Greenlets, Shrike-babblersWagtails, PipitsWaxbills, Munias & AlliesWaxwingsWoodpeckersWrensWrenthrushYellow-breasted Chat

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Marlster24
Recommend for any bird watcher
Very wholesome app: I joined this app with a new interest in watching birds to help me find out what I was spotting. The community is very active in helping identify birds which is great and everyone is very kind so it’s just a nice wholesome community. I would definitely recommend this for any bird spotter 😃
Foxgirl100
Great app for beginner twitchers
I’ve had a passion of photographing birds for a long time now but have only just gotten into proper birdwatching, and this app is brilliant for those just getting started. There is a great sense of community among users and the app is very easy to use and professional. Awesome app altogether
Amylia S
Best app for any birding person!
I love this app!! I am so addicted to it when I saw it had 3 star review I was so sad! The app is awesome!! The best app for any birding person! ❤️
Carl B
Helped me to identify more birds
Love this app and has helped me to identify more birds. The challenges and badges are great for keeping the motivation going to get out and keep birding.
Jake W
Great app
I use this app all the time as it’s quick and easy to log individual sightings or whole birding sessions. It’s an excellent way to meet new people and the forum is full of really friendly people. The challenges are a great way to get involved and learn more about birds. Cannot recommend it enough!
Unbridled Discoveries
Great app for bird lovers
I love this app! It’s a wonderful way to track birding sessions, and also connect you with fellow birders. I also really like the unidentified bird section, it’s a great community tool to help figure out what a never-before-seen bird is!
Safira V
Birding and wellbeing app
Birda is an excellent platform to share your love of Birding and is a great tool of encouragement for a Birding Beginner like me. Birda has a very kind and supportive community of Birding enthusiasts. For me BIRDA is not only a BIRDING but also a WELLBEING App.
Trevarthen1
Birda fan
I really enjoy using Birda, all sightings are recorded and photos can be added. There are monthly challenges which help to get you out to record your sightings. The Birda community are great and are happy to help with unidentified bird sightings. Suitable for all ages and experience!
778
Great bird recording
For a while I’ve been trying to find an app to easily record bird lists and day out and struggled to find one that I like. Birda is great for this, straightforward and a great community!
Anonymous
The best bird logging app
Birda is honestly the best bird logging app I have seen. I love all the features it has from being able to do a session and log all the birds you see in one sitting, to being able to connect with other birders from all over the globe!
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.