page_title: List of birds of Malta
section_title: Herons, egrets, and bitterns
hierarchical_section_title: List of birds of Malta / Herons, egrets, and bitterns
caption_attribution_description: Nycticorax nycticorax夜鷺
context_page_description: This is a list of the bird species recorded in Malta. The avifauna of Malta include a total of 416 species. It lies on a major migration route and many species pass through during spring and autumn. Two have been introduced by humans. 23 species are globally threatened.
  This list's taxonomic treatment and nomenclature follow the conventions of The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 2019 edition. The family accounts at the beginning of each heading reflect this taxonomy, as do the species counts found in each family account. Accidental species are included in the total species count for Malta.
  The following tag has been used to highlight accidentals. The commonly occurring native species are untagged. Birds that have been recorded breeding in Malta are also tagged.
  Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Malta
  (I) Introduced - a species introduced to Malta as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions
context_section_description: Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Ardeidae
  The family Ardeidae contains the bitterns, herons and egrets. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more wary. Members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted, unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises and spoonbills.
  Great bittern, Botaurus stellaris
  Little bittern, Ixobrychus minutus
  Gray heron, Ardea cinerea
  Purple heron, Ardea purpurea
  Great egret, Ardea alba
  Little egret, Egretta garzetta
  Western reef-heron, Egretta gularis (A)
  Cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis (A)
  Squacco heron, Ardeola ralloides
  Black-crowned night-heron, Nycticorax nycticorax
caption: Black-crowned night-heron, a regular passage migrant.
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