Family Ardeidae

Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns

13 species from the family Ardeidae.

Typical settings for this family#

Shutter (still)1/500 s
Shutter (action)1/2000 s
Aperturef/6.3–f/8
Size40–140 cm

13 species#

Great Blue Heron Great Blue HeronArdea herodias Great Egret Great EgretArdea alba Snowy Egret Snowy EgretEgretta thula Green Heron Green HeronButorides virescens Black-crowned Night Heron Black-crowned Night HeronNycticorax nycticorax Yellow-crowned Night Heron Yellow-crowned Night HeronNyctanassa violacea Little Blue Heron Little Blue HeronEgretta caerulea Tricolored HeronEgretta tricolor Western Cattle-Egret Western Cattle-EgretArdea ibis Reddish EgretEgretta rufescens American BitternBotaurus lentiginosus Bare-throated Tiger-Heron Bare-throated Tiger-HeronTigrisoma mexicanum Least Bittern Least BitternBotaurus exilis

Field-craft#

  • White egrets: expose for the whites (−0.7 EV in sun).
  • Breeding plumes are most spectacular in spring.
  • Herons and egrets stand still for long periods — wait for the strike or take-off and use continuous AF.

Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources