These large herons are associated with wetlands where they prey on fish, frogs, and other aquatic species. Most members of this almost worldwide group breed colonially in trees, building large stick nests.
Northern species such as great blue, grey, and purple herons may migrate south in winter, although the first two do so only from areas where the waters freeze.
The great egret (Ardea alba, left) resembles the other Ardea in habitus, and the little egret (Egretta garzetta, right) only in color.
These are powerful birds with large spear-like bills, long necks and long legs, which hunt by waiting motionless or stalking their prey in shallow water before seizing it with a sudden lunge. They have a slow steady flight, with the neck retracted as is characteristic of herons and bitterns; this distinguishes them from storks, cranes, flamingos, and spoonbills, which extend their necks.
Some members of Ardea are clearly very closely related, such as the grey, great blue, and cocoi herons, which form a superspecies. However, the great egret, in particular, has been placed in other genera by various authors as Egretta alba and Casmerodius albus. Nevertheless, this species closely resembles the large Ardea herons in everything but color, whereas it shows fewer similarities to the smaller white egrets.
Speciesedit
The genus contains twelve species:[4], although this increases to 14 with the split of yellow-billed egret (A. i. brachyrhyncha) and plumed egret (A. i. plumifera) from intermediate egret.[5]
North America, as far north as Alaska and the southern Canadian provinces in summer; winter migrating is along waterways of the southernmost mainland United States, the coastal Gulf states, from Florida west to the California coast; most states of México, all of Central America; most Caribbean islands; northern South America (north of Argentina).
Ardea sp. (Middle Miocene of Observation Quarry, US) (fossil)
Ardea sp. (Late Miocene of Love Bone Bed, US) (fossil)
Ardea polkensis (Early Pliocene of Bone Valley, US) (fossil)
Ardea sp. (Early Pleistocene of Macasphalt Shell Pit, US) (fossil)
Ardea howardae (fossil)
The remains described as Ardea perplexa are nowadays usually believed to be from an ibis of the genus Geronticus or a closely related genera. "Ardea formosa" (a nomen nudum) is now Proardeola; "Ardea" brunhuberi and "A." similis refer to a misidentified cormorant (Phalacrocorax intermedius) and partridge (Miogallus altus), respectively. "Ardea" lignitum – a fossil of quite recent age as it seems – is a type of large owl, perhaps even a Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo).
Referencesedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ardea.
^Linnaeus, Carl (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis (in Latin). Vol. 1 (10th ed.). Holmiae (Stockholm): Laurentii Salvii. p. 141.
^Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 54. ISBN978-1-4081-2501-4.
^Gray, George Robert (1840). A List of the Genera of Birds : with an Indication of the Typical Species of Each Genus. London: R. and J.E. Taylor. p. 66.
^Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2021). "Ibis, spoonbills, herons, Hamerkop, Shoebill, pelicans". IOC World Bird List Version 11.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
^"IOC World Bird List v13.2 Proposed Splits/Lumps". IOC. 26 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
December 02, 2023
ardea, bird, megalornis, redirects, here, this, name, also, invalidly, given, dasornis, proposed, dinornis, ardea, genus, herons, these, herons, generally, large, size, typically, more, length, ardeatemporal, range, middle, miocene, presentgreat, blue, heron, . Megalornis redirects here This name was also invalidly given to Dasornis and was proposed for Dinornis Ardea is a genus of herons These herons are generally large in size typically 80 100 cm or more in length ArdeaTemporal range Middle Miocene to presentGreat blue heron A herodias Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder PelecaniformesFamily ArdeidaeSubfamily ArdeinaeGenus ArdeaLinnaeus 1758Type speciesArdea cinerea grey heron Linnaeus 1758Species12 see textSynonymsCasmerodius Gloger 1842Herodias F Boie 1822Mesophoyx Sharpe 1894Myola Mathews 1913Tonophoyx Mathews 1913These large herons are associated with wetlands where they prey on fish frogs and other aquatic species Most members of this almost worldwide group breed colonially in trees building large stick nests Northern species such as great blue grey and purple herons may migrate south in winter although the first two do so only from areas where the waters freeze Contents 1 Description 2 Taxonomy 3 Species 4 ReferencesDescription edit nbsp The great egret Ardea alba left resembles the other Ardea in habitus and the little egret Egretta garzetta right only in color These are powerful birds with large spear like bills long necks and long legs which hunt by waiting motionless or stalking their prey in shallow water before seizing it with a sudden lunge They have a slow steady flight with the neck retracted as is characteristic of herons and bitterns this distinguishes them from storks cranes flamingos and spoonbills which extend their necks Taxonomy editThe genus Ardea was introduced in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae 1 The genus name comes from the Latin word ardea meaning heron 2 The type species was designated as the grey heron Ardea cinerea by George Robert Gray in 1840 3 Some members of Ardea are clearly very closely related such as the grey great blue and cocoi herons which form a superspecies However the great egret in particular has been placed in other genera by various authors as Egretta alba and Casmerodius albus Nevertheless this species closely resembles the large Ardea herons in everything but color whereas it shows fewer similarities to the smaller white egrets Species editThe genus contains twelve species 4 although this increases to 14 with the split of yellow billed egret A i brachyrhyncha and plumed egret A i plumifera from intermediate egret 5 Image Scientific name Common Name Distribution nbsp Ardea cinerea Grey heron Norway Sweden and most Northern European countries Asia east from Myanmar the Indian Subcontinent Iran Iraq the Ural and Caucasus regions Green Spain Mediterranean islands south of France Italy the Balkans the Adriatic Sub Saharan Africa the Canary Islands coastal Morocco Algeria Tunisia Libya Egypt nbsp Ardea herodias Great blue heron North America as far north as Alaska and the southern Canadian provinces in summer winter migrating is along waterways of the southernmost mainland United States the coastal Gulf states from Florida west to the California coast most states of Mexico all of Central America most Caribbean islands northern South America north of Argentina nbsp Ardea cocoi Cocoi heron South America nbsp Ardea pacifica White necked heron or Pacific heron Australia nbsp Ardea melanocephala Black headed heron Sun Saharan Africa and Madagascar nbsp Ardea humbloti Humblot s heron Madagascar nbsp Ardea insignis White bellied heron Eastern Himalayas of India and Myanmar nbsp Ardea sumatrana Great billed heron South Asia Indochina Australasia Indonesia the Philippines nbsp Ardea goliath Goliath heron Sub Saharan Africa small population in South Asia nbsp Ardea purpurea Purple heron Africa central and southern Europe South and East Asia nbsp Ardea alba Great egret great white heron or white egret Most of Asia below Russia sub Saharan Africa and the Mediterranean North Central and South America the Caribbean islands nbsp Ardea brachyryhncha Yellow billed egret Sub Saharan Africa nbsp Ardea intermedia Medium egret Southeast Asia Indochina nbsp Ardea plumifera Plumed egret Australia and eastern IndonesiaA number of Ardea species are only known from subfossil or fossil bones Their placement in Ardea versus Egretta may be provisional Bennu heron Ardea bennuides prehistoric Ardea sp Middle Miocene of Observation Quarry US fossil Ardea sp Late Miocene of Love Bone Bed US fossil Ardea polkensis Early Pliocene of Bone Valley US fossil Ardea sp Early Pleistocene of Macasphalt Shell Pit US fossil Ardea howardae fossil The remains described as Ardea perplexa are nowadays usually believed to be from an ibis of the genus Geronticus or a closely related genera Ardea formosa a nomen nudum is now Proardeola Ardea brunhuberi and A similis refer to a misidentified cormorant Phalacrocorax intermedius and partridge Miogallus altus respectively Ardea lignitum a fossil of quite recent age as it seems is a type of large owl perhaps even a Eurasian eagle owl Bubo bubo References edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ardea Linnaeus Carl 1758 Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae secundum classes ordines genera species cum characteribus differentiis synonymis locis in Latin Vol 1 10th ed Holmiae Stockholm Laurentii Salvii p 141 Jobling James A 2010 The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names London Christopher Helm p 54 ISBN 978 1 4081 2501 4 Gray George Robert 1840 A List of the Genera of Birds with an Indication of the Typical Species of Each Genus London R and J E Taylor p 66 Gill Frank Donsker David Rasmussen Pamela eds July 2021 Ibis spoonbills herons Hamerkop Shoebill pelicans IOC World Bird List Version 11 2 International Ornithologists Union Retrieved 10 August 2021 IOC World Bird List v13 2 Proposed Splits Lumps IOC 26 September 2023 Retrieved 27 September 2023 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ardea bird amp oldid 1187839449, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
