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heron
CIDE DICTIONARY
heron, 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. hr. Cf. Aigret, Egret.].
Any wading bird of the genus Ardea and allied genera, of the family Ardeidæ . The herons have a long, sharp bill, and long legs and toes, with the claw of the middle toe toothed. The common European heron (Ardea cinerea ) is remarkable for its directly ascending flight, and was formerly hunted with the larger falcons. [1913 Webster]
" 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 egrets ." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
heron, n. any of various large wading birds of the family Ardeidae, esp. Ardea cinerea, with long legs and a long S-shaped neck.
Derivative
heronry n. (pl. -ies).
Etymology
ME f. OF hairon f. Gmc
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