Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Tanzania
21 herons, egrets and bitterns recorded in Tanzania 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.
21 herons, egrets and bitterns have been recorded in Tanzania 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 Tanzania to know first
Black HeronEgretta ardesiaca
Black-crowned Night HeronNycticorax nycticorax
Black-headed HeronArdea melanocephala
Eurasian BitternBotaurus stellaris
Goliath HeronArdea goliath
Great EgretArdea alba
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
Humblot’s HeronArdea humbloti
Little BitternBotaurus minutus
Little EgretEgretta garzetta
Little HeronButorides atricapilla
Malagasy Pond HeronArdeola idae
Purple HeronArdea purpurea
Rufous-bellied HeronArdeola rufiventris
Squacco HeronArdeola ralloides
Striated HeronButorides striata
Western Cattle EgretArdea ibis
Western Reef HeronEgretta gularis
The full list — 21 herons, egrets and bitterns of Tanzania in our library
- Black Heron
- Black-crowned Night Heron
- Black-headed Heron
- Dwarf Bittern
- Eurasian Bittern
- Goliath Heron
- Great Egret
- Grey Heron
- Humblot’s Heron
- Little Bittern
- Little Egret
- Little Heron
- Malagasy Pond Heron
- Purple Heron
- Rufous-bellied Heron
- Squacco Heron
- Striated Heron
- Western Cattle Egret
- Western Reef Heron
- White-backed Night Heron
- Yellow-billed Egret
Keep exploring
- All birds of Tanzania
- Ducks, Geese & Swans of Tanzania
- Falcons of Tanzania
- Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Tanzania
- Hawks, Eagles & Kites of Tanzania
- Kingfishers of Tanzania
- Owls of Tanzania
- Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of Tanzania
- Pigeons & Doves of Tanzania
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 Tanzania?
21 herons, egrets and bitterns that we profile appear on Tanzania'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 Tanzania'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 Tanzania 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.