n. [ OE. heiroun, heroun, heron, hern, OF. hairon, F. héron, OHG. heigir; cf. Icel. hegri, Dan. heire, Sw. häger, and also G. häher jay, jackdaw, OHG. hehara, higere, woodpecker, magpie, D. reiger heron, G. reiher, AS. hrāgra. Cf. Aigret, Egret. ] (Zool.) Any wading bird of the genus
☞ There are several common American species; as, the great blue heron (Ardea herodias); the little blue (Ardea cœrulea); the green (Ardea virescens); the snowy (Ardea candidissima); the night heron or qua-bird (Nycticorax nycticorax). The plumed herons are called
Heron's bill (Bot.),
n. A hawk used in hunting the heron. “Heroner and falcon.” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. A place where herons breed. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. A heronshaw. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ OF. heroncel, dim. of héron. See Heron. ] (Zool.) A heron.