Herons, Storks and Ibises (Ciconiiformes)
Traditionally, the order Ciconiiformes has included a variety of large, long-legged wading birds with large bills: storks, herons, egrets, ibises, spoonbills, and several others. DNA evidence suggests that this may change but I have chosen to retain the original classification for the time being.
This order comprises 5 families:-Heron (Ardeidae), Shoebill (Balaeniciptidae), Stork (Ciconiidae), Hammerkop (Scopidae) and Ibis (Threskiomithidae).
The herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae. There are 64 recognised species in this family. Some are called "egrets" or "bitterns" instead of "heron".
Click on the image to access the Heron Galleries.
More information can be found on Wikipedia.
The family Threskiornithidae includes 34 species of large wading birds.
Members of the family have long, broad wings with 11 primary feathers and about 20 secondaries. They are strong fliers and, rather surprisingly, given their size and weight, very capable soarers. The body tends to be elongated, the neck more so, with rather long legs. The bill is also long, decurved in the case of the ibises, straight and distinctively flattened in the spoonbills.
Click on the image to access the Spoonbill and Ibis Galleries.
More information can be found on Wikipedia.