HeronConservation

The IUCN-SCC Heron Specialist Group

List of the Herons of the World (IOC List ver. 15.1, in 2025)

The following is a list of the herons of the world based on IOC World Bird List, Version 15.1 (2025).

Scientific Name English Name Breeding Range (Non-breeding Range in parentheses)
Tigriornis leucolopha White-crested Tiger Heron AF : Senegal to Central African Republic and DR Congo
Tigrisoma lineatum

  • T. l. lineatum Honduras s to ne Bolivia and Amazonian Brazil
  • T. l. marmoratum se Bolivia to s Brazil and n Argentina
 Rufescent Tiger Heron MA, SA : widespread
Tigrisoma mexicanum Bare-throated Tiger Heron MA, SA : Mexico to Colombia
Tigrisoma fasciatum

  • T. f. salmoni Costa Rica to n Bolivia
  • T. f. fasciatum se Brazil to n Argentina
  • T. f. pallescens nw Argentina
 Fasciated Tiger Heron MA, SA : Costa Rica to n Bolivia and se SA
Cochlearius cochlearius

  • C. c. zeledoni w Mexico
  • C. c. phillipsi e Mexico and Belize
  • C. c. ridgwayi s Mexico to Honduras
  • C. c. panamensis Costa Rica and Panama
  • C. c. cochlearius n, c South America
 Boat-billed Heron MA, SA : wc Mexico to ne Argentina
Agamia agami Agami Heron MA, SA : e Mexico to Amazonia
Zebrilus undulatus Zigzag Heron SA : Amazonia
Botaurus stellaris

  • B. s. stellaris Europe to e Asia
  • B. s. capensis s Africa
 Eurasian Bittern PAL, AF : widespread
Botaurus poiciloptilus Australasian Bittern AU : far sw WA, se QLD to se SA and Tasmania (sw, se Australia), North, South and Stewart is. (New Zealand), Ouvea (Loyalty Is.) and Grande Terre (New Caledonia; rare)
Botaurus lentiginosus American Bittern NA : widespread
Botaurus pinnatus

  • B. p. caribaeus se Mexico and Belize
  • B. p. pinnatus El Salvador and Nicaragua to n Argentina and s Brazil
 Pinnated Bittern MA, SA : e Mexico to ne Argentina
Botaurus involucris Stripe-backed Bittern SA : Colombia to Suriname, s Bolivia and s Brazil to c Chile and c Argentina
Botaurus exilis

  • B. e. exilis e Canada and e, sw USA
  • B. e. pullus nw Mexico
  • B. e. erythromelas e Panama and n South America to n Bolivia and n Argentina
  • B. e. limoncochae e Ecuador
  • B. e. bogotensis c Colombia
  • B. e. peruvianus wc Peru
 Least Bittern NA, MA, SA : e, sw USA to se Brazil
Botaurus flavicollis

  • B. f. flavicollis India to Indochina, Philippines and w, c Indonesia
  • B. f. australis e Indonesia, New Guinea, Bismarck Arch. and Australia
  • B. f. woodfordi Bougainville to Rennell (n to s Solomon Is., except Makira)
 Black Bittern OR, AU : widespread
Botaurus cinnamomeus Cinnamon Bittern OR, PAL : Pakistan and Maldives through se, e Asia to e China, Ryukyu Is. (s Japan), s to Philippines and w, c, Indonesian Arch.
Botaurus eurhythmus Von Schrenck's Bittern PAL : se Siberia, Korean Pen., Japan and e China
Botaurus sturmii Dwarf Bittern AF : widespread
Botaurus minutus

  • B. m. minutus c, s Europe to c Asia and nw India
  • B. m. payesii Africa s of the Sahara
  • B. m. podiceps Madagascar
 Little Bittern PAL, AF : s, c Europe to c Asia, nw India and Africa
Botaurus sinensis Yellow Bittern PAL, IO, OR : Oman, Inner Is. (ne Seychelles), Pakistan and Sri Lanka through se Russia and Japan s to se Asia, Indonesian Arch., Philippines to w Micronesia
Botaurus dubius Black-backed Bittern AU : patchily in sc, nc, se New Guinea and far sw WA, ne WA to s VIC (sw, n, e Australia)
Botaurus novaezelandiae New Zealand Bittern AU : South I. (New Zealand)
Nyctanassa violacea

  • N. v. violacea c, e USA to e Mexico and e Costa Rica
  • N. v. bancrofti w Mexico to w Nicaragua, Socorro I. and West Indies
  • N. v. caliginis Panama and w Colombia to Peru
  • N. v. cayennensis Panama and ne Colombia to ne Brazil
  • N. v. pauper Galápagos
 Yellow-crowned Night Heron NA, MA, SA : e USA to Peru and e Brazil
Nyctanassa carcinocatactes Bermuda Night Heron AO : Bermuda
Nycticorax nycticorax

  • N. n. nycticorax Eurasia s to Africa and Madagascar and e to e Asia, Philippines and Indonesian Arch.
  • N. n. hoactli s Canada to n Argentina and Chile; Hawaii
  • N. n. obscurus Chile and sw Argentina
  • N. n. falklandicus Falkland Is.
 Black-crowned Night Heron Worldwide : except AU
Nycticorax olsoni Ascension Night Heron AO : Ascension I.
Nycticorax duboisi Reunion Night Heron IO : Réunion (w Mascarenes)
Nycticorax mauritianus Mauritius Night Heron IO : Mauritius (c Mascarenes)
Nycticorax megacephalus Rodrigues Night Heron IO : Rodrigues (e Mascarenes)
Nycticorax caledonicus

  • N. c. crassirostris Bonin Is. (=Ogasawara Is.; se Japan)
  • N. c. manillensis Philippines and n Borneo
  • N. c. australasiae Java e to New Guinea, nw Bismarck Arch., Australia and New Zealand
  • N. c. mandibularis e Bismarck Arch. and Solomon Is. except Temotu (=Santa Cruz Is.; se Solomon Is.)
  • N. c. pelewensis Palau and Caroline Is. (s Micronesia)
  • N. c. caledonicus Grande Terre (New Caledonia)
 Nankeen Night Heron AU : widespread
Gorsachius melanolophus Malayan Night Heron OR : W Ghats (sw India), ne India through se Asia and se China to Philippines, Peleng (Banggai Is., e of Sulawesi)
Gorsachius goisagi Japanese Night Heron PAL : Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu (c, s Japan), Jeju (off s Korean Pen.) and Taiwan
Pilherodius pileatus Capped Heron MA, SA : e Panama to se Brazil
Syrigma sibilatrix

  • S. s. fostersmithi ne Colombia and nw Venezuela
  • S. s. sibilatrix e Bolivia and s Brazil to ne Argentina
 Whistling Heron SA : n, sc, se
Egretta caerulea Little Blue Heron NA, MA, SA : se USA to s Brazil
Egretta tricolor

  • E. t. ruficollis e, se USA and e, w Mexico to nw South America and West Indies
  • E. t. tricolor nc, ne South America
 Tricolored Heron NA, MA, SA : se USA to n SA
Egretta rufescens

  • E. r. rufescens s USA, West Indies and Mexico
  • E. r. dickeyi Baja California (Mexico)
 Reddish Egret NA, MA : s USA and Caribbean
Egretta vinaceigula Slaty Egret AF : Zambia to ne Namibia, n Botswana and w Zimbabwe
Egretta ardesiaca Black Heron AF : widespread s of the Sahara
Egretta sacra

  • E. s. sacra coastal s Bangladesh and Andaman Is. to Ryukyu Is. (s Japan), Australasia (except s outlying is.), Melanesia (except New Caledonia) to Tuamotu Arch. (e Polynesia)
  • E. s. albolineata New Caledonia including Loyalty Is.
 Pacific Reef Heron OR, AU : coastal s Bangladesh and Andaman Is. to Ryukyu Is. (s Japan), Australasia (except s outlying is.), Melanesia to Tuamotu Arch. (e Polynesia)
Egretta eulophotes Chinese Egret PAL : coastal Russian Far East and Korean Pen. to e China
Egretta thula

  • E. t. brewsteri w North America
  • E. t. thula e, s North America to c Chile and n Argentina
 Snowy Egret NA, MA, SA : widespread
Egretta garzetta

  • E. g. garzetta Europe to Japan s to Africa, India and Mindanao (s Philippines)
  • E. g. nigripes Sundas to Australia and New Zealand
 Little Egret PAL, AF, OR, AU : widespread
Egretta dimorpha Dimorphic Egret AF : e, Europa (w of s Madagascar, Mozambique Channel), Aldabra group (sw Seychelles) and Madagascar
Egretta gularis

  • E. g. gularis coastal w Africa
  • E. g. schistacea coastal ne Africa to w India and Sri Lanka
 Western Reef Heron AF, PAL, OR : w AF, ne AF to w India and Sri Lanka
Egretta picata Pied Heron AU : Sulawesi and ne WA to ne QLD (n Australia)
Egretta novaehollandiae White-faced Heron AU : Timor (e Lesser Sundas), Australasia to New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga (sw, sc Polynesia)
Calherodius leuconotus White-backed Night Heron AF : widespread
Oroanassa magnifica White-eared Night Heron OR : s, e China and n Vietnam
Butorides atricapilla

  • B. a. atricapilla Africa s of the Sahara
  • B. a. brevipes Somalia and the Red Sea coasts
  • B. a. crawfordi Aldabra and Amirante groups (s, c Seychelles)
  • B. a. rhizophorae Comoros
  • B. a. rutenbergi Madagascar and Réunion I.
  • B. a. degens ne Seychelles
  • B. a. albolimbata Chagos Arch. and Maldives
  • B. a. amurensis se Siberia, ne China and Japan
  • B. a. actophila e China to n Myanmar and n Vietnam
  • B. a. javanica Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka to Thailand, Philippines, the Greater Sundas and Sulawesi
  • B. a. spodiogaster Andaman and Nicobar Is. and islands off w Sumatra
  • B. a. steini Lesser Sundas
  • B. a. moluccarum Moluccas
  • B. a. papuensis nw New Guinea
  • B. a. idenburgi n New Guinea
  • B. a. flyensis sc, se New Guinea
  • B. a. stagnatilis coastal nw, nc Australia
  • B. a. macrorhyncha e, ne Australia and New Caledonia
  • B. a. solomonensis Lavongai (=New Hanover) to Solomon Is. (except Rennell), and Vanuatu to Fiji (sw Polynesia)
  • B. a. patruelis Tahiti Is. (Society Is.)
 Little Heron PAL, AF, AU : widespread
Butorides striata Striated Heron MA, SA: e Panama to n Argentina, Bolivia and Chile
Butorides sundevalli Lava Heron SA : Galápagos
Butorides virescens

  • B. v. virescens c, e USA and e Canada to Panama and the Caribbean
  • B. v. bahamensis Bahamas
  • B. v. anthonyi w USA and n Baja California (Mexico)
  • B. v. frazari s Baja California (Mexico)
 Green Heron NA, MA : e, c USA to Panama
Zonerodius heliosylus Forest Bittern AU : Salawati (Raja Ampat Is., nw of New Guinea), Aru Is. (sw of New Guinea) and New Guinea
Ardeola rufiventris Rufous-bellied Heron AF : Uganda and s Kenya to s Angola, n Botswana and e South Africa
Ardeola ralloides Squacco Heron PAL, AF : widespread
Ardeola idae Malagasy Pond Heron AF : Madagascar and Aldabra I.
Ardeola grayii Indian Pond Heron PAL, OR : Persian Gulf to Myanmar and Maldives
Ardeola bacchus Chinese Pond Heron PAL, OR : Assam (ne India) and n Myanmar through Russian Far East, Japan and s China
Ardeola speciosa

  • A. s. continentalis c Thailand through s Indochina
  • A. s. speciosa Sundas (w, c Indonesia) and Philippines
 Javan Pond Heron OR : Thailand through Philippines, Sulawesi region and Lesser Sundas
Ardea pacifica White-necked Heron AU : Australia
Ardea alba

  • A. a. alba c Europe to ne Asia s to n, c Africa and s Asia
  • A. a. melanorhynchos Africa s of the Sahara
  • A. a. modesta s, e Asia to Mindanao (s Philippines), Indonesian Arch. and Australasia
  • A. a. egretta s Canada to s Argentina and s Chile
 Great Egret NA, SA, AF, PAL, OR, AU : worldwide
Ardea brachyrhyncha Yellow-billed Egret AF : Africa s of the Sahara
Ardea intermedia Medium Egret PAL, OR: India to Japan and Greater Sundas
Ardea plumifera Plumed Egret OR: e Indonesia, New Guinea and Australia
Ardea ibis Western Cattle Egret PAL, AF, NA, MA, SA : s Europe to Iran, Africa, Indian Ocean Is., North to South America
Ardea coromanda Eastern Cattle Egret OR : s, e Asia and Australasia
Ardea cinerea

  • A. c. cinerea w Europe to e Asia to India and Africa
  • A. c. jouyi n China, Korean Pen. and Japan to Sumatra and Java
  • A. c. monicae Banc d'Arguin (Mauritania)
  • A. c. firasa Madagascar, Comoros and Aldabra
 Grey Heron PAL, AF, OR : widespread
Ardea herodias

  • A. h. fannini nw North America
  • A. h. wardi w, sc, s USA to n Florida and w, ne Mexico
  • A. h. herodias s Canada to nc, e USA s to the Carolinas
  • A. h. cognata Galápagos
  • A. h. occidentalis s Florida (USA) through the West Indies
 Great Blue Heron NA, MA : widespread
Ardea cocoi Cocoi Heron SA : widespread
Ardea purpurea

  • A. p. bournei Cape Verde Is.
  • A. p. purpurea s and c Europe to c Asia and the Middle East, Africa s of the Sahara
  • A. p. madagascariensis Madagascar
  • A. p. manilensis s, e Asia to Philippines and Indonesia
 Purple Heron PAL, OR, AF : widespread
Ardea humbloti Humblot's Heron AF : w, c Madagascar
Ardea insignis White-bellied Heron OR : e Himalayas
Ardea sumatrana Great-billed Heron OR, AU : se Asia and w Philippines to n Australia and New Guinea
Ardea melanocephala Black-headed Heron AF : widespread s of the Sahara
Ardea goliath Goliath Heron AF, PAL : widespread in Africa s of the Sahara, Iran and Iraq to India