page_title: List of birds of China
section_title: Herons, egrets, and bitterns
hierarchical_section_title: List of birds of China / Herons, egrets, and bitterns
caption_attribution_description: 日本語: 新潟県阿賀野市　瓢湖で撮影されたヨシゴイ。 水中の魚を補食するために頸部を伸ばしている。
context_page_description: This is a list of the bird species recorded in China. The avifauna of China include a total of 1413 species, of which 60 are endemic, and two have been introduced by humans. Of these, 108 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. Introduced and accidental species are included in the total counts for China.
  The following tags have been used to highlight several categories. The commonly occurring native species do not fall into any of these categories.
  Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in China
  Endemic - a species native or restricted to China
  (I) Introduced - a species introduced to China as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions
  Extirpated - a species no longer found in China but found elsewhere
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
  Yellow bittern, Ixobrychus sinensis
  Little bittern, Ixobrychus minutus
  Schrenck's bittern, Ixobrychus eurhythmus
  Cinnamon bittern, Ixobrychus cinnamomeus
  Black bittern, Ixobrychus flavicollis
  Gray heron, Ardea cinerea
  White-bellied heron, Ardea insignis
  Great-billed heron, Ardea sumatrana
  Purple heron, Ardea purpurea
  Great egret, Ardea alba
  Intermediate egret, Ardea intermedia
  White-faced heron, Egretta novaehollandiae (A)
  Chinese egret, Egretta eulophotes
  Little egret, Egretta garzetta
  Pacific reef-heron, Egretta sacra
  Cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis
  Indian pond-heron, Ardeola grayii (A)
  Chinese pond-heron, Ardeola bacchus
  Striated heron, Butorides striata
  Black-crowned night-heron, Nycticorax nycticorax
  White-eared night-heron, Gorsachius magnificus
  Japanese night-heron, Gorsachius goisagi
  Malayan night-heron, Gorsachius melanolophus
caption: Yellow bittern
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