HERON, Ardea, genus Of birds, of the order grallatores, triboirTiltrirostres. and family arekidat. This family includes also bitterns; night-herons, spoonbills, boattulls, storks, adjutants, ibises, etc. The bill is long. compressed, and sharp; the tail the legs and the toes long and slender; the wings long. In the herons—in which genus are included the species commonly designated egrets (q.v.), which differ only iu unim portant particulars of plumage—the bill is slender but strong, forming a compressed and lengthened cone; the plumage is beautiful, but seldom exhibits very gay colors; white, brown, black, and slate color, finely blended, being generally predominant. The body is small in proportion to the length of the neck and limbs; the neck is long, and. except in flight, is usually held curved. In flight, the heron carries the neck. head, and long bill in a straight lino before the body, and the long legs in like manner stretched out behind. Herons feed mostly on fish, frogs, and other aquatic animals; and may be seen, particularly very early in the morning and late in the evening, standing patiently motionless in some shallow water, at the margin of a lake or stream, or on the sea-shore, waiting till prey come within reach. In tiefault of their more conunon food, how ever, herons sometimes prey on young birds, reptiles, and the smaller mammalia. They usually go forth singly in quest of prey, but are mostly gregarious in their nidifieation. —The, Comma.;Eaotc (A. cinema) is about 3 ft. in length from the point of the bill to the end of the tail. It is of a delicate gray color on the upper parts, except the quill feathers, which are black, and the tail, which is deep slate color. The common heron
generally builds its nest in a high tree, and many nests are sometimes to be seen in single tree. Pennant tells us that he counted 80 in one oak in Lincolnshire. In very northern parts of the world, the heron is known only as a summer bird-of-passage, but it remains in Britain all the year. Its geographical range extends over most parts of Europe and. Asia, and includes the north of Africa. The heron was formerly in great esteem for the table, although now disregarded; it was also the kind of game most of all pursued in falconry; and the English act, 19 Henry VII. c. 11, prohibited the killing or taking of herons, except by hawking or with the long-bow. This act was not repealed till the game act of Geo. IV.—The PURPLE HERON (A. purpurea) is a smaller and touch rarer British species.—The GREAT WHITE HERON, or GREAT EGRET (A. elba), a mere accidental visitor of Britain and of the western parts of Europe, is more common in Turkey, Greece, etc., and in some parts of Asia. It is an extremely beautiful bird, with perfectly white plumage, much of -a loose and flowing.—The LITTLE EGRET (A. garzetta) has also white flowing plumage. It is only about 2 ft. in length.—America has many species of heron, most numerous in its warmer regions. The most common species in tire temperate parts of North America is the GREEN HERON (A. r,ireseens), the flesh of which is so much esteemed that it is often to be seen in the markets.
Heron and egret plumes, made of the long feathers, were in former times highly valued, being, in some countries, deemed an ornament fit for royal personages or for the highest nobles.