HeronConservation

The IUCN-SCC Heron Specialist Group

List of the Herons of the World (IOC List ver. 13.1, in 2023)

The following is a list of the herons of the world based on IOC World Bird List, Version 13.1 (2023).

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

  • T. l. lineatum Honduras south to ne Bolivia and Amazonian Brazil
  • T. l. marmoratum se Bolivia to s Brazil and n Argentina
 Rufescent Tiger Heron MA, SA: widespread
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, se SA
Tigrisoma mexicanum Bare-throated Tiger Heron MA, SA: Mexico to Colombia
Agamia agami Agami Heron MA, SA: e Mexico to Amazonia
Cochlearius cochlearius

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

  • B. s. stellaris Europe to e Asia (Non-bre: n and c Africa, s Asia)
  • B. s. capensis southern Africa
 Eurasian Bittern EU: widespread (Non-bre: AF, n OR)
Botaurus poiciloptilus Australasian Bittern AU: sw, se Australia, New Zealand
Botaurus lentiginosus American Bittern NA: widespread (Non-bre: MA, Caribbean)
Botaurus pinnatus

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

  • I. e. exilis e Canada, e and sw USA (Non-bre: Central America, West Indies)
  • I. e. pullus nw Mexico
  • I. e. erythromelas e Panama and n South America to n Bolivia and n Argentina
  • I. e. limoncochae e Ecuador
  • I. e. bogotensis c Colombia
  • I. e. peruvianus wc Peru
 Least Bittern NA, MA, SA: e, sw USA to se Brazil
Ixobrychus minutus

  • I. m. minutus c and s Europe to c Asia and nw India (Non-bre: Africa)
  • I. m. payesii Africa south of the Sahara
  • I. m. podiceps Madagascar
 Little Bittern EU, AF: s, c Europe to c Asia, nw India, Africa
Ixobrychus dubius Black-backed Bittern AU: e, sw Australia
Ixobrychus novaezelandiae extinct New Zealand Bittern AU: South I., New Zealand
Ixobrychus sinensis Yellow Bittern OR: widespread, also e Asia (Non-bre: AU)
Ixobrychus eurhythmus Von Schrenck's Bittern EU: se Siberia, Korea, Japan and e China (Non-bre: se Asia to the Sundas and Philippines)
Ixobrychus cinnamomeus Cinnamon Bittern OR: widespread, also e Asia
Ixobrychus sturmii Dwarf Bittern AF: widespread
Ixobrychus flavicollis

  • I. f. flavicollis India to Indochina, the Philippines, w and c Indonesia
  • I. f. australis e Indonesia, New Guinea, Bismarck Arch., Australia
  • I. f. woodfordi Solomon Is.
 Black Bittern OR, AU: widespread
Gorsachius magnificus White-eared Night Heron OR: s, e China, n Vietnam
Gorsachius goisagi Japanese Night Heron EU: Japan (Non-bre: se China, Philippines)
Gorsachius melanolophus Malayan Night Heron OR: widespread
Gorsachius leuconotus White-backed Night Heron AF: widespread
Nycticorax nycticorax

  • N. n. nycticorax Eurasia s to Indonesia and Africa
  • N. n. hoactli s Canada to n Argentina and Chile, Hawaii
  • N. n. obscurus Chile, sw Argentina
  • N. n. falklandicus Falkland Is.
 Black-crowned Night Heron Worldwide: except AU
Nycticorax olsoni extinct Ascension Night Heron AO: Ascension I.
Nycticorax duboisi extinct Reunion Night Heron IO: La Réunion
Nycticorax mauritianus extinct Mauritius Night Heron IO: Mauritius I.
Nycticorax megacephalus extinct Rodrigues Night Heron IO: Rodrigues I.
Nycticorax caledonicus

  • N. c. crassirostris extinct Bonin I. (Japan)
  • N. c. manillensis Philippines, n Borneo
  • N. c. australasiae Java east to New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand
  • N. c. pelewensis Palau and Caroline Is. (wc Pacific)
  • N. c. caledonicus New Caledonia
  • N. c. mandibularis Bismarck Arch. and Solomon Is.
 Nankeen Night Heron AU: widespread
Nyctanassa violacea

  • N. v. violacea c and e USA to e Mexico and e Costa Rica
  • N. v. bancrofti w Mexico to w Nicaragua, Socorro I., 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 Is.
 Yellow-crowned Night Heron NA, MA, SA: e USA to Peru and e Brazil
Nyctanassa carcinocatactes extinct Bermuda Night Heron AO: Bermuda
Butorides virescens

  • B. v. anthonyi w USA, n Baja California (Mexico)
  • B. v. frazari s Baja California (Mexico)
  • B. v. virescens c and e USA and e Canada to Panama and the Caribbean
  • B. v. bahamensis Bahama Is.
 Green Heron NA, MA: e and c USA to Panama
Butorides sundevalli Lava Heron SA: Galápagos Islands
Butorides striata

  • B. s. striata e Panama to n Argentina, Bolivia and Chile
  • B. s. atricapilla Africa south of the Sahara
  • B. s. brevipes Somalia and the Red Sea coasts
  • B. s. rutenbergi Madagascar, La Réunion
  • B. s. rhizophorae Comoros
  • B. s. crawfordi Aldabra Is. and Amirante Is.
  • B. s. degens Seychelles
  • B. s. albolimbata Chagos Arch. and Maldive Is.
  • B. s. spodiogaster Andaman Is., Nicobar Is. and islands off w Sumatra
  • B. s. amurensis se Siberia, ne China and Japan
  • B. s. actophila e China to n Myanmar and n Vietnam
  • B. s. javanica Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka to Thailand, the Philippines, the Greater Sundas and Sulawesi
  • B. s. steini Lesser Sundas
  • B. s. moluccarum Moluccas
  • B. s. papuensis nw New Guinea
  • B. s. idenburgi n New Guinea
  • B. s. flyensis sc, se New Guinea
  • B. s. macrorhyncha e and ne Australia, New Caledonia
  • B. s. patruelis Tahiti Is. (Society Is.)
  • B. s. solomonensis New Hanover to Solomons to Fiji
 Striated Heron SA, EU, AF, AU: widespread
Ardeola ralloides Squacco Heron EU, AF: widespread
Ardeola grayii Indian Pond Heron EU, OR: Persian Gulf to Myanmar, Maldive Islands
Ardeola bacchus Chinese Pond Heron OR: widespread in the east
Ardeola speciosa

  • A. s. continentalis c Thailand through s Indochina
  • A. s. speciosa w and c Indonesia
 Javan Pond Heron OR: se
Ardeola idae Malagasy Pond Heron AF: Madagascar, Aldabra Island (Non-bre: c, e AF)
Ardeola rufiventris Rufous-bellied Heron AF: Uganda and s Kenya to s Angola, n Botswana and e South Africa
Bubulcus ibis Western Cattle Egret EU, AF, NA, MA, SA: s Europe to Iran, Africa, Indian Ocean Is., North and Latin America
Bubulcus coromandus Eastern Cattle Egret OR: s, e Asia, Australasia
Ardea cinerea

  • A. c. cinerea w Europe to e Asia to India and Africa
  • A. c. jouyi n China, Korea and Japan to Sumatra and Java
  • A. c. monicae Banc d'Arguin (Mauritania)
  • A. c. firasa Madagascar, Comoros and Aldabra
 Grey Heron EU, 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 south to the n Carolinas
  • A. h. occidentalis s Florida (USA) through the West Indies
  • A. h. cognata Galápagos Is.
 Great Blue Heron NA, MA: widespread
Ardea cocoi Cocoi Heron SA: widespread
Ardea pacifica White-necked Heron AU: Australia, s New Guinea
Ardea melanocephala Black-headed Heron AF: widespread south of the Sahara
Ardea humbloti Humblot's Heron AF: Madagascar
Ardea insignis White-bellied Heron OR: e Himalayas
Ardea sumatrana Great-billed Heron OR, AU: Southeast Asia to n Australia
Ardea goliath Goliath Heron AF, EU: widespread in Africa south of the Sahara, Iran and Iraq to India
Ardea purpurea

  • A. p. purpurea s and c Europe to c Asia and the Middle east, Africa south of the Sahara
  • A. p. bournei Cape Verde Is.
  • A. p. madagascariensis Madagascar
  • A. p. manilensis s and e Asia to the Philippines and Indonesia
 Purple Heron EU, OR, AF: widespread
Ardea alba

  • A. a. alba c Europe to ne Asia south to n and c Africa and s Asia
  • A. a. melanorhynchos Africa south of the Sahara
  • A. a. egretta s Canada to s Argentina and s Chile
  • A. a. modesta s, e Asia to Indonesia and Australasia
 Great Egret NA, SA, AF, EU, OR, AU: Worldwide
Ardea intermedia

  • A. i. brachyrhyncha Africa south of the Sahara
  • A. i. intermedia Japan to s India and Greater Sundas
  • A. i. plumifera e Indonesia, New Guinea, Australia
 Intermediate Egret OR, AF, AU: widespread
Pilherodius pileatus Capped Heron MA, SA: e Panama to se Brazil
Syrigma sibilatrix

  • S. s. fostersmithi ne Colombia, nw Venezuela
  • S. s. sibilatrix e Bolivia and s Brazil to ne Argentina
 Whistling Heron SA: n, sc, se
Egretta picata Pied Heron AU: Sulawesi to n Australia
Egretta novaehollandiae White-faced Heron AU: widespread
Egretta rufescens

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

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

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

  • E. g. garzetta Europe to Japan south to Africa, India and the Philippines
  • E. g. nigripes Sundas to Australia and New Zealand
 Little Egret EU, AF, OR, AU: widespread
Egretta gularis

  • E. g. gularis coastal w Africa
  • E. g. schistacea coastal ne Africa to w India, Sri Lanka
 Western Reef Heron AF, EU, OR: w AF, ne AF to w India, Sri Lanka
Egretta dimorpha Dimorphic Egret AF: e, Madagascar
Egretta sacra

  • E. s. sacra coastal se Asia to Australia, Oceania
  • E. s. albolineata New Caledonia, Loyalty Is.
 Pacific Reef Heron OR, AU: Southeast Asia to New Zealand
Egretta eulophotes Chinese Egret EU: e Asia (Non-bre: se OR)