The herons and egrets make up the Ardeidae family. Species belonging to genus Ardea are usually considered to be herons and those belonging to genus Egretta are called egrets. However, there is no clear distinction between herons and egrets. Those species that are white or have fancy plumage are usually called egrets. Bitterns also belong to the Ardeidae family.A common feature of the Ardeidae species is that they fly with their necks retracted, unlike the ibis that fly with their necks outstretched


Bitterns

Genus Botaurusß∑

Bittern, Pinnated  Botaurus pinnatus  Found: South America
Photographed by: 1) Alastair Rae  2, 3) Claudio Timm in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil



Genus Ixobrychus

Bittern, Least  Ixobrychus exillis   Found: The Americas
Photographed by:  1, 2) Mike Baird - Morro Bay, California



HERONS

Genus Ardea
This genus contains two species that are commonly referred to as egrets: the Great Egret and Intermediate Egret!

Egret, Great also Great White Egret Ardea alba   Found: The Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australasia
Photographed by: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) Dick Daniels, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Australia
    8) Sandy Cole - Flamingo Gardens in Floridas
2, 8) Breeding plumage 



Heron, Cocoi  Ardea cocoi  Found: Central and South America
Photographed by: 1, 2, 3)  Cláudio Timm in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil  4) Dario Sanches  5) Nori Almaeda  6) Dario Niz



Heron, Great Blue Ardea herodias   Found: North America, Central America, Galapagos
Photographed by: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7) Dick Daniels   3) Dick   6) Ted Grussing




Genus Butorides

Heron, Striated also Little Heron also Green-backed Heron Butorides striatus Found: South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australasia
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - Australia   2) Dick - Australia  3, 4, 7)  Cláudio Timm - Uruguay  5, 6,) Arno Meintjes
8) Juvenile




Genus Nycticorax

Heron, Black-crowned Night Nycticorax nycticorax   Found: The Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia
Photographed by: 1, 2) Dick Daniels - New Jersey   3) Dick - Brookfield Gardens, So. Carolina
    4) Sandy Cole - Flamingo Gardens in Florida  5) Dick Daniels- Kauai, Hawaii 6) Ted Grussing  7)Chris Queen
1, 2, 6) Juvenile



Heron, Yellow-crowned night- Nyctanassa violacea   Found: The Americas
Photographed by:   1)  Dick Daniels - Flamingo Gardens in Florida  2)  Dick - Flamingo Gardens in Florida
    3) Sandy Cole - Flamingo Gardens in Florida  4) Dick - Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel Island, Florida 
    5) Dick - the Cheasapeak Bay Bridge  
5) Juvenile




Genus  Pilherodius - 1 species

Heron, Capped   Pilherodius pileatus   Found: Central and South America
Photographed by:  1) Cláudio Timm  - the Amazon, Brazil  2) Jozeias3d



Genus Syrigma - 1 species

Heron, Whistling  Syrigma sibilatrix   Found: Central and South America
Photographed by: 1) Gustavo Durán   2) José Cláudio Guimarães Martins   3) Jimmy Baikovicius 



Genus Tigrisoma

Heron, Bare-throated Tiger Tigrisoma mexicanum Found: Central and South America
Photographed by: 1)  Dominic Sherony - Limon, Costa Rica   2) Patrick Gijsbers 3) Reinhard Jahn


Heron, Fasciated Tiger  Tigrisoma fasciatum  Found: South America
Photographed by:1) Jerry Oldenettel - Venezuela  2)  Dominic Sherony  3) Gina


Heron, Rufescent Tiger  Tigrisoma lineatum Found: South America
Photographed by: 1, 2, 4) Cláudio Timm in the Amazon, Brazil  3) Cristobal Alvarado Minic
3) Juvenile



Genus Cochlearius - 1 species

Heron, Boat-billed Cochlearius cochlearius Found: Central and South America
Photographed by: 1) Patick Coin  2, 3, 4) Dick Daniels - Jacksonville Zoo