Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Japan
20 herons, egrets and bitterns recorded in Japan on the eBird network and profiled in the Birbs encyclopedia — the full list, with photos, sounds and ID notes, plus what's near you now.
20 herons, egrets and bitterns have been recorded in Japan on eBird, the global citizen-science database run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and carry a full profile in the Birbs encyclopedia. Every bird below is a member of this group — the family Ardeidae. Start with the well-known species, browse the complete list, then check which are being reported near you right now.
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Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Japan to know first
Black BitternBotaurus flavicollis
Black-crowned Night HeronNycticorax nycticorax
Chinese EgretEgretta eulophotes
Chinese Pond HeronArdeola bacchus
Eastern Cattle EgretArdea coromanda
Eurasian BitternBotaurus stellaris
Great EgretArdea alba
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
Indian Pond HeronArdeola grayii
Japanese Night HeronGorsachius goisagi
Javan Pond HeronArdeola speciosa
Little EgretEgretta garzetta
Little HeronButorides atricapilla
Medium EgretArdea intermedia
Pacific Reef HeronEgretta sacra
Purple HeronArdea purpurea
The full list — 20 herons, egrets and bitterns of Japan in our library
- Black Bittern
- Black-crowned Night Heron
- Chinese Egret
- Chinese Pond Heron
- Cinnamon Bittern
- Eastern Cattle Egret
- Eurasian Bittern
- Great Egret
- Grey Heron
- Indian Pond Heron
- Japanese Night Heron
- Javan Pond Heron
- Little Egret
- Little Heron
- Malayan Night Heron
- Medium Egret
- Pacific Reef Heron
- Purple Heron
- Von Schrenck’s Bittern
- Yellow Bittern
Keep exploring
- Birds of Japan
- Ducks, Geese & Swans of Japan (57 species)
- Sandpipers & Allies of Japan (56 species)
- Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Japan (47 species)
- Old World Flycatchers & Chats of Japan (41 species)
- Hawks, Eagles & Kites of Japan (27 species)
- Petrels & Shearwaters of Japan (23 species)
- Old World Buntings of Japan (19 species)
- Thrushes of Japan (19 species)
Herons, Egrets & Bitterns in other regions
- Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Brazil (24 species)
- Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of India (24 species)
- Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Indonesia (24 species)
- Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Colombia (23 species)
- Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Ecuador (22 species)
- Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Malaysia (22 species)
- Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of the Philippines (22 species)
- Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of the United States (22 species)
- Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Australia (21 species)
- Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Peru (21 species)
- Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of South Africa (21 species)
- Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Tanzania (21 species)
Species and counts come from the eBird network; "recorded" means reported by birders to eBird. Family grouping follows the IOC World Bird List. Tap any bird for its full profile.
Frequently asked questions
How many herons, egrets and bitterns are found in Japan?
20 herons, egrets and bitterns that we profile appear on Japan's eBird-reported checklist. The full A–Z list is on this page; the real total can shift as eBird records are added.
Are all of these herons, egrets and bitterns really found there?
Yes — each one is on Japan's eBird checklist (reported by birders to the Cornell Lab's eBird), and each of these herons, egrets and bitterns belongs to the family group named on this page. We don't rank them by abundance, because that varies by season and locale.
Where can I see herons, egrets and bitterns in Japan right now?
Use Birds Near You for live, location-based reports, or turn on rare-bird alerts to hear when a notable one shows up close to you.