Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Ardea ("Heron") herodias ("heron")

Adult Great Blue Heron (subspecies A. h. herodias)  at Berkeley, California - September 2022

Featured Subspecies: Ardea herodias herodias
Weight: 1.82-3.6kg  /  Length: 91-137cm  /  Wingspan: 167-201cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The New World equivalent of the Grey Heron - but is a somewhat larger and heavier seeming bird, although their is some slight overlap in this range. They also have rust-red coloration in patches around their body, including the feathers on their legs and patches on their neck and face. They do however both fulfil the niche of the standard large heron species found on their respective continents and thus can be found in similar habitats.

Related Species:
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Ardeidae
Genus: Ardea
SUBSPECIES: A. h. fannini, A. h. herodias, A. h. wardi, A. h. occidentalis, A. h. cognata

 - Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA
A locally common resident.
 - COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: One bird seen at Tarcoles

UNITED STATES 
Found throughout the Lower 48 and Southern Alaska
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Berkeley

 Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

.

Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia)

OTHER NAMES: Median Egret, Smaller Egret, Yellow-billed Egret
Latin Etymology: Ardea ("Heron") intermedia ("intermediate")

Adult Intermediate Egret (subspecies A. i. intermedia) at Sungei Boloh, Singapore - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: Ardea intermedia intermedia
Weight: 400g  /  Length: 56-72cm  /  Wingspan: 105-115cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

If ever there was a name that did what it said on the tin, it would perhaps be the intermediate egret, a species that is indeed intermediate in size and characteristics between great and little egrets.  Unlike either of these species however, it is more of a species of the tropics, although it does extend as far North as temperate Japan. In Sungei Buloh in Singapore and Prek Toal in Cambodia they were fairly common, but not never the most common heron species present.

Related Species: 
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Ardeidae
Genus: Ardea
SUBSPECIES: A. i. brachyrhyncha, A. i. intermedia, A. i. plumifera

 - Sighting Locations -

CAMBODIA - Khmer: កុកគ្រោងមធ្យម  ("Medium ?")

A locally common resident.

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Common at Prek Toal

SINGAPORE - An uncommon resident.

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Fairly common at Sungei Buloh

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Ardea ("heron" - named for mythical town of Ardea) purpurea ("purple coloured")

                                                  Purple Heron (subspecies A. p. purpurea) at Arrocampo, Spain - April 2016

Featured Subspecies: Ardea purpurea purpurea

Weight: 0.5-1.35kg  /  Length: 88-94cm  /  Wingspan: 120-152cm

NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The closest relation of the Grey Heron in Europe, the Purple Heron is however far more localised and secretive that it's grey cousin; a species of reed-beds found primarily in Mediterranean countries in Europe.  It is another widely distributed species however, found in addition to Southern Europe across India, South East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.  This is one of those species where the name doesn't necessarily make that much sense when examined; while there is a sort of purple quality to it if you squint at it, the more general impression is one of a coppery-orange and grey.

Related Species:
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Ardeidae
Genus: Ardea
Subspecies: A. p. purpurea, A. p. bournei, A. p. madagascariensis, A. p. manilensis

 - Sighting Locations -

CAMBODIA - Khmer Name: ក្រសាធ្នង់

A fairly common resident.

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Several at Prek Toal

SINGAPORE - A fairly common resident

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Seen at  Bishan Park

SPAIN - Spanish - Garza Imperial - ("Imperial Heron")

Widespread but local Resident

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Seen at Navaseca (2 individuals flying into reeds), Arrocampo (numerous) and Rivas Vaciamadrid (2 birds)

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Great White Egret (Ardea alba)

OTHER NAMES: Great Egret, Common Egret, Large Egret

Latin Etymology: Ardea ("Heron") alba ("white")

Top: Adult Great White Egret (subspecies A. a. alba) at Summer Leys Reserve. March 2022

Featured Subspecies: Ardea alba alba
Weight: 700-1500g  /  Length: 80-104cm  /  Wingspan: 131-170cm
UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern 

Since the time this blog started, the Great White Egret has gone from a rare occassional species to a mainstay of British wetlands being seen regularly at many local sites consistantly throughout the year.  Even beyond that, it is a very widely distributed species globally, found on every continent except Antarctica and found in nearly any habitat where there is non-frozen water for it to feed in, and indeed, is with the possible exception of the feral pigeon the species I have seen in most countries.

Related species:
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Ardeidae 
Genus: Ardea 
Subspecies: A. a. alba, A. a. egretta, A. a. melanorhynchos, A. a. modesta

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A rare Winter migrant (35 individuals) and regular vagrant.

 - A regular at Pitsford Reservoir in Winter, seen in multiple years.

CAMBODIA - Khmer: កុកគ្រោងធំ  ("Big ?")

A locally common resident.

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Common at Prek Toal

COSTA RICA

A locally common resident.

 - COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Common at Tarcoles

JAPAN -  Japanese - ダイサギ /  Dai-sagi ("Large Heron")

Locally common resident

 - KYOTO/OSAKA 2013 TRIP: A single bird at Kyoto.

SINGAPORE - An locally common resident.

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Fairly common at Sungei Buloh

SPAIN - Spanish - Garceta grande ("Great Egret")

A fairly common resident in appropriate habitat,

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: A few birds seen at Arrocampo.

UNITED STATES 
Resident on most of the Coastal areas, winters throughout
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Berkeley

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

.

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)

OTHER NAMES: Heron, Ern, Brancher
Latin Etymology: Ardea ("Heron") cinerea ("ash-grey")

  Adult Grey Heron (subspecies A. c. cinerea) at Camley Street Natural Park, London - September 2010

Featured Subspecies: Ardea cinerea cinerea

Weight: 1000-2100g  /  Length: 84-100cm  /  Wingspan: 155-195cm

UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Easily the most common of the herons, it can seemingly be found wherever there is sufficient amounts of water to feed it - I've seen them along most rivers I've been walked along for any distance and most lakes of notable size, and given that that they have visited my back garden for it's under 2m square pond before, they aren't overly fussy. Regent's park in undoubtedly one of the best places to see these birds close up however, they are semi-tame, having learnt to take things from visitors in the way mallards often do, meaning you can get within feet of these huge birds.

Related Species:
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Ardeidae
Genus: Ardea
Subspecies: A. c. cinerea, A. c. monicae, A. c. jouyi, A. c. firasa

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Common and widespread resident in low densities (13,000 nests) and Common Winter Visitor (63000 birds)

 - Seen at many sites including Rutland Water, Rainham Marshes, Regent's Park, Pitsford Reservoir, Ditchford Gravel Pits, Eyebrook Reservoir and Geddington.

CAMBODIA - Khmer - ក្រសាប្រផេះ  ("Grey ?)

A common resident.

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Common at Prek Toal

JAPAN - Japanese - アオサギ / Ao-sagi ("Blue Heron")

Common resident.

 - KYOTO 2013 TRIP: Commonly seen on the Kamo River in Central Kyoto and at Arashiyama. 

MALAYSIA - Malay - Pucung Seriap ("Protrude Heron")

Resident

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: A single bird seen from a car in Kuala Lumpur

SINGAPORE 
A fairly common resident

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP:Several at Sungei Buloh

SPAIN - Spanish - Garza reál ("Royal Heron")

A common resident.

 - SEVILLE 2011 TRIP: Several around El Rocio
 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Abundant around Laguna Navaseca and Arrocampo.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

.