Herons, bitterns and egrets are closely related, belonging to the family Ardeidae of the order Ciconiiformes . Other close avian relatives include storks, ibises, spoonbills and flamingos. Herons are wading birds with long, slender legs, long necks and long, heavy bills tapering to a sharp point. Their wings are broad and rounded, their tails short. Most herons, especially the larger ones, are graceful in form and movement.
Herons swallow food whole and later regurgitate pellets of indigestible matter.
They inhabit both freshwater and saltwater areas. In Pennsylvania, they're found on lakes, reservoirs, ponds, rivers, woods streams, bogs, marshes and swamps, where they typically stand at the water's edge or walk slowly through the shallows. They may also perch in trees near or over water. Herons are shy birds. When approached by humans, they usually takes off in slow flight, with head and neck drawn back in an S-shape and legs held straight to the rear.