Ardeidae

Ardeidae is the family of herons, egrets and bitterns, long-legged and long-necked freshwater and coastal birds now placed in the order Pelecaniformes after being reclassified from Ciconiiformes in 2008. The family contains 75 recognized species across 18 extant genera and occurs worldwide on every continent except Antarctica, avoiding only extreme Arctic regions, high mountains and deserts. Its members are distinguished by their ability to retract their necks into a tight S shape in flight, a trait unusual among long-necked birds, and by bills ranging from narrow to broad and plumage typically in blue, black, brown, grey or white.