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The Heron (22)
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![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2156 W: 322 N: 4258]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif) (16906) | Herons are medium to large long-legged, long-necked wading (Warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings) birds of the family (Herons; egrets; night herons; bitterns) Ardeidae, which also includes the (Any of various usually white herons having long plumes during breeding season) egrets and (Relatively small compact tawny-brown heron with nocturnal habits and a booming cry; found in marshes) bitterns.
Within the family Ardeidae, all members of the genera, (Bitterns) Botaurus and (Bitterns) Ixobrychus are classed as bitterns, not herons, however the species sometimes known as egrets are simply white-coloured herons with decorative plumes, and not a biologically distinct group (although one could also define true Egrets as the members of genus Egretta). The classification of the individual heron species is fraught with difficulty, and there is still no clear consensus about the correct placement of many species into either of the two major genera, Ardea and Egretta.
The (Tropical American heron related to night herons) Boatbill is sometimes classed as a heron, and sometimes given its own family (Click link for more info and facts about Cochlearidae) Cochlearidae.
Although herons resemble other families, such as the (Large mostly Old World wading birds typically having white-and-black plumage) storks, (Wading birds of warm regions having long slender down-curved bills) ibises and (Wading birds having a long flat bill with a tip like a spoon) spoonbills, unlike the latter groups, herons fly with their necks retracted, not outstretched.
Herons typically feed in shallow water or marshes, taking fish, frogs or small birds and mammals. In February 2005 the (A river rising in northeastern New Mexico and flowing eastward across the Texas panhandle to become a tributary of the Arkansas River in Oklahoma) Canadian (A person with advanced knowledge of one of more sciences) scientist Dr Louis Lefebvre announced a method of measuring avian (A measure of a person's intelligence as indicated by an intelligence test; the ratio of a person's mental age to their chronological age (multiplied by 100)) IQ in terms of their innovation in feeding habits. Herons were named among the most intelligent birds based on this scale.
(Source: www.absoluteastronomy.com/encyclopedia/h/he/heron.htm)
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