Bitterns, Herons and Egrets
Order: Ciconiiformes. Family: Ardeidae
The family Ardeidae contains the bitterns, herons and egrets. Herons and egrets are medium to large sized wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more wary. Unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises and spoonbills, members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted. There are 61 species worldwide and 21 species which occur in India.
- Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
- White-bellied Heron Ardea insignis
- Great-billed Heron Ardea sumatrana (Hypothetical according to Rasmussen and Anderton, 2005)
- Goliath Heron Ardea goliath (A)
- Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
- Eastern Great Egret Ardea modesta
- Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia
- Western Reef Heron Egretta gularis
- Little Egret Egretta garzetta
- Pacific Reef Heron Egretta sacra
- Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii
- Chinese Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus
- Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis coromandus (Treated as a full species Bubulcus coromandus by Rasmussen and Anderton, 2005 and sometimes called the Eastern Cattle Egret)
- Striated Heron Butorides striata
- Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
- Malayan Night Heron Gorsachius melanolophus
- Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis
- Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus
- Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus
- Black Bittern Ixobrychus flavicollis
- Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris
Read more about this topic: Birds Of India