Do herons and egrets belong in the same or different groups?
Top: White-faced heron, Little blue heron, Green heron Bottom: Reddish egret, Black-crowned night heron, Yellow-crowned night heron, Great blue heron The three species of heron I have seen in Canada are the green heron, black-crowned night heron, and great blue heron. The white-faced heron I photographed in New Zealand, and the other three were taken in southern Texas near the Gulf of (Ahem) Mexico. And, if you didn't notice, there is an egret in the group. The body shape of herons and egrets appears to be the same, which isn't a coincidence. Egrets are really just a type of heron. They both belong to the Ardeidea. The term egret typically applies to white heron-like birds or heron-like birds with a glossy coat. Below are photos of some egrets. Snowy egret, Great egret, Cattle egret The only North-American member of the Ardeidea that I haven't seen or photographed is the tri-coloured heron. Cattle egrets are an old-world species foun...