Sixty-five species of herons are recognized. Of these 29 are polymorphic having among them 100 currently recognized subspecies. HeronConservation advocates that conservation of herons occur at the local level in as far as possible. In that taxonomically recognized subspecies do not encompass the entirety of variation or of geographic dispersion, HeronConservation has identified 259 populations of conservation interest. These serve as the basis for conservation planning. The accepted list of heron species and populations, including accepted scientific and English common names is below. HeronConservation urges the consistent use of the nomenclature and ordering of this list for consistency across conservation activities.
Heron Taxonomy and Evolution
Heron taxonomy is complicated and evolving, especially with the use of molecular techniques to address questions of evolutionary relationships. No doubt changes in taxonomy and our understanding of evolutionary relationships will emerge over time. For additional information, please see Heron Taxonomy and Evolution.
Species Accounts
Accounts of the biology of each species are linked to the List of the Herons of the World, below which can be accessed by clicking on the English common name. As mistakes are found and new observations and research become available, HeronConservation will correct and update this information. Scientists, conservationists, and heron observers are encouraged to contribute to correcting, adding, and amending the information in these accounts. This can be done through use of the comment functions at the bottom of individual species’ account pages. Please follow the format instructions, so that the information provided can be readily inserted into the corrected accounts. In this way, the heron scientific community can maintain an accurate and up-to-date review of the biology of each species. References cited within the species accounts may be found in the Bibliography of the Herons of the World. For additions and corrections to the species accounts, include full bibliographic references in the format of the Bibliography of Herons of the World. The Species Accounts should be cited as: HeronConservation. Year. Name of Species. www.HeronConservation.org. Accessed Day Month Year.
List of the Herons of the World
The following is a list of the herons of the world. The accepted scientific names and accepted English common names are presented in their recommended order. Also listed are geographic populations that have been identified as conservation units. Each species in the list is linked to its species account, which can be accessed by clicking on the English common name.
Species Name English Name Recognized Population Ardea cinerea Grey Heron cinerea, Sub-Saharan Africa (bre) cinerea, W Europe, NW Africa (bre) cinerea, C & E Europe (bre) cinerea, Central & SW Asia cinerea, South Asia jouyi, E, SE Asia jouyi, Sumatra monicae firasa Ardea herodias Great Blue Heron herodias, C & NE North America herodias, W North America herodias, W North America, N Mexico herodias, Baja California, Mexico fannini wardi occidentalis, Florida occidentalis, Caribbean occidentalis, Central America cognata Ardea cocoi Cocoi Heron Ardea pacifica White-necked Heron Ardea alba Great White Egret alba, W, C & E Europe, Black Sea & E Mediterranean alba, SW Asia (non-bre) melanorhynchos egretta, North America egretta, Mexico egretta, Central America egretta, Caribbean egretta, South America Ardea modesta Eastern Great Egret E Asia (non-br) Indonesia Australia New Zealand Ardea intermedia Intermediate Egret intermedia, South Asia intermedia, E, SE Asia brachyrhyncha plumifera Ardea melanocephala Black-headed Heron Ardea humbloti Madagascar Heron Ardea insignis White-bellied Heron Ardea sumatrana Sumatran Heron SE Asia Australia Ardea goliath Goliath Heron Sub-Saharan Africa SW Asia S Asia Ardea purpurea Purple Heron purpurea, Tropical Africa (bre) purpurea, SW & NW Europe, NW Africa (bre) purpurea, C & E Europe, Black Sea, Mediterranean purpurea, SW Asia (bre) madagascariensis bournei manilensis, South Asia manilensis, E & SE Asia Ardea ibis Cattle Egret ibis, S Africa ibis, Tropical Africa ibis, NW Africa ibis, SW Europe ibis, E Mediterranean, SW Asia (bre) ibis, North America ibis, Mexico ibis, Central America ibis, Caribbean ibis, South America ibis, Falkland/Malvinas Is seychellarum coromandus, South Asia coromandus, E, SE Asia coromandus, Oceania Butorides virescens Green Heron virescens, Central & E North America virescens, Mexico virescens, Central America virescens, Caribbean bahamensis anthonyi frazari Butorides striata Striated Heron striata, Central & South America striata, South America striata, Bolivia sundevalli brevipes atricapilla rutenbergi rhizophorae degens crawfordi albolimbata chloriceps spodiogaster amurensis actophila javanicus moluccarus, Moluccas moluccara, NW New Guinea solomonensis idenburgi flyensis stagnatilis, N Australia stagnatilis, NW Australia stagnatilis, NE Western Australia patruelis macrorhyncha, E Australia macrorhyncha, SC New Guinea, NE Queensland carcinophila steini Ardeola ralloides Squacco Heron SW Europe, NW Africa (bre) C & E Europe, Black Sea & E Mediterranean (bre) SW Asia (bre) Sub-Saharan Africa Ardeola grayii Indian Pond Heron grayii, SW, S Asia grayii, Myanmar, Bay of Bengal phillipsi Ardeola bacchus Chinese Pond Heron Ardeola speciosa Javan Pond Heron speciosa continentalis Ardeola idae Madagascar Pond Heron Ardeola rufiventris Rufous-bellied Heron Egretta rufescens Reddish Egret rufescens, S USA rufescens, Mexico rufescens, Central America rufescens, Caribbean rufescens, N South America dickeyi Egretta picata Pied Heron Egretta vinaceigula Slaty Egret Egretta ardesiaca Black Heron Egretta tricolor Tricolored Heron tricolor ruficollis, USA (bre) ruficollis, Mexico ruficollis, Central America ruficollis, Caribbean Egretta novaehollandiae White-faced Heron novaehollandiae parryi Egretta caerulea Little Blue Heron North America Mexico Central America Caribbean South America Egretta thula Snowy Egret thula brewsteri thula, Mexico thula, Central America thula, Caribbean thula, South America Egretta garzetta Little Egret garzetta, Sub-Saharan Africa (bre) garzetta, W Europe, NW Africa garzetta, C & E Europe, Black Sea, Mediterranean (bre) garzetta, West Indies garzetta, W Asia (bre) garzetta, South Asia garzetta, E, SE Asia nigripes immaculata gularis schistacea, NE Africa, Red Sea schistacea, SW, South Asia dimorpha, Madagascar dimorpha, Aldabra & Amirante Is dimorpha, E African coast Egretta eulophotes Chinese Egret Egretta sacra Eastern Reef Heron sacra albolineata Syrigma sibilatrix Whistling Heron sibilatrix forstersmithi Pilherodius pileatus Capped Heron Nyctanassa violacea Yellow-crowned Night Heron violacea, North America violacea, Mexico to Honduras violacea, Socorro Island caliginis cayennensis bancrofti pauper Nycticorax nycticorax Black-crowned Night Heron nycticorax, W Europe, NW Africa (bre) nycticorax, C & E Europe, Black Sea, E Mediterranean nycticorax, W Asia nycticorax, Sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar nycticorax, South Asia nycticorax, E, SE Asia nycticorax, North America nycticorax, Mexico nycticorax, Central America nycticorax, Caribbean nyccticorax, northern South America obscurus, S South America obscurus, Falkland/Malvinas Is Nycticorax caledonicus Rufous Night Heron caledonicus manillensis pelewensis mandibularis hilli Nycticorax leuconotus White-backed Night Heron Gorsachius magnificus White-eared Night Heron Gorsachius goisagi Japanese Night Heron Gorsachius melanolophus Malayan Night Heron SE Asia Philippines Palawan, Philippines Nicobar Is Botaurus pinnatus South American Bittern pinnatus caribaeus Botaurus lentiginosus North American Bittern Botaurus stellaris Eurasian Bittern stellaris, W Europe, NW Africa stellaris, C & E Europe, Black Sea, E Mediterranean, W & C Asia stellaris, South Asia stellaris, S & E Asia capensis Botaurus poiciloptilus Australasian Bittern SW Australia SE Australia New Zealand New Caledonia Ixobrychus involucris Streaked Bittern N South America S South America Ixobrychus exilis Least Bittern exilis pullus bogotensis erythromelas peruvianus Ixobrychus minutus Little Bittern minutus, W Europe, NW Africa minutus, C & E Europe, Black Sea & E Mediterranean minutus, W & SW Asia minutus, South Asia payesii podiceps novaezelandiae dubius Ixobrychus sinensis Yellow Bittern Seychelles South Asia E & SE Asia Ixobrychus eurhythmus Schrenck's Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus Cinnamon Bittern South Asia E, SE Asia Ixobrychus sturmii Dwarf Bittern Ixobrychus flavicollis Black Bittern flavicollis, South Asia flavicollis, E, SE Asia australis, Australia, New Guinea australis, Timor australis, Rennell Island australis, New Britain, New Ireland woodfordi Zebrilus undulatus Zigzag Heron Tigrisoma mexicanum Bare-throated Tiger Heron mexicanum, Colombia to Mexico mexicanum, S Mexico Tigrisoma fasciatum Fasciated Tiger Heron fasciatum salmoni pallescens Tigrisoma lineatum Rufescent Tiger Heron lineatum marmoratum Zonerodius heliosylus New Guinea Tiger Heron Tigriornis leucolophus White-crested Tiger Heron Agamia agami Agami Heron Cochlearius cochlearius Boat-billed Heron cochlearius zeledoni phillipsi ridgwayi panamensis