Ardeinae Explained

Ardeinae is a subfamily of herons, which includes the day herons, night herons, and egrets.

Taxonomy

Extant Genera

Image	Genus	Living species
	Nycticorax – typical night herons	Black-crowned night heron, Nycticorax nycticorax Nankeen night heron or rufous night heron, Nycticorax caledonicus Rodrigues night heron, Nycticorax megacephalus (extinct) Réunion night heron, Nycticorax duboisi (extinct) Mauritius night heron, Nycticorax mauritianus (extinct) Ascension night heron, Nycticorax olsoni (extinct) Niue night heron, Nycticorax kalavikai (prehistoric)
	Nyctanassa – American night herons	Yellow-crowned night heron, Nyctanassa violacea Bermuda night heron, Nyctanassa carcinocatactes
	Gorsachius – Asian and African night herons	White-backed night heron, Gorsachius leuconotus White-eared night heron, Gorsachius magnificus Japanese night heron, Gorsachius goisagi Malayan night heron, Gorsachius melanolophus
	Butorides – green-backed herons	green heron, Butorides virescens striated heron, Butorides striata lava heron, Butorides sundevalli
	Agamia – Agami heron	Agami heron, Agamia agami
	Pilherodius – capped heron	Capped heron, Pilherodius pileatus
	Ardeola – pond herons	Indian pond heron, Ardeola grayii Squacco heron, Ardeola ralloides Chinese pond heron, Ardeola bacchus Javan pond heron, Ardeola speciosa Malagasy pond heron, Ardeola idae Rufous-bellied heron, Ardeola rufiventris
	Bubulcus – cattle egrets	Western cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis Eastern cattle egret, Bubulcus coromandus
	Ardea – typical herons	Great blue heron, Ardea herodias Grey heron, Ardea cinerea Goliath heron, Ardea goliath Cocoi heron, Ardea cocoi White-necked heron or Pacific heron, Ardea pacifica Black-headed heron, Ardea melanocephala Humblot's heron, Ardea humbloti White-bellied heron, Ardea insignis Great-billed heron, Ardea sumatrana Purple heron, Ardea purpurea Great egret or great white egret, Ardea alba Intermediate egret, Ardea intermedia
	Syrigma – whistling heron	whistling heron, Syrigma sibilatrix
	Egretta – typical egrets	Pied heron, Egretta picata White-faced heron, Egretta novaehollandiae Reddish egret, Egretta rufescens Black heron, Egretta ardesiaca Slaty egret, Egretta vinaceigula Tricolored heron, Egretta tricolor – also known as Louisiana heron Little blue heron, Egretta caerulea Snowy egret, Egretta thula Little egret, Egretta garzetta Western reef heron, Egretta gularis Dimorphic egret, Egretta dimorpha Pacific reef heron, Egretta sacra – also known as Pacific reef egret or eastern reef heron Chinese egret, Egretta eulophotes Egretta subfluvia, (Late Miocene or Early Pliocene)

Fossils

• Genus Proardea (fossil)
• Genus Zeltornis (fossil, Early Miocene of Djebel Zelten, Libya)
• Genus undetermined
  • Easter Island heron, Ardeidae gen. et sp. indet. (prehistoric)