They are long-legged waders that are found in wetlands. The Ardeidae family with Herons also includes Bitterns and Egrets but here I am going to talk solely about Herons.

The main characteristics common in any species of Herons is that they have long legs and a long beak. They share many similarities with storks and cranes. The distinctive character that separates them from storks and cranes is that they fly with their necks drawn back instead of outstretched like it is in the case of storks and cranes.

They show very little sexual dimorphism in size as well as characters. They also have powder down which is seen in very less groups of birds. They can also curl their necks to form an S shape which they usually do during flight.

They are carnivorous and feed mainly on crustaceans, molluscs, fish and other insects. Before swallowing their prey, they usually manipulate it.

The largest member of this family is the Goliath Heron.

The other members which I am going to talk about in this section are as follows:

1.  Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)

2. Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)

3. Little Heron (Butorides striata)

4. Indian Pond Heron (Ardeola grayii)

5. Black Crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)