Ardeidae

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A family of long-legged freshwater and coastal birds including herons, egrets, and bitterns, characterized by slender bodies and sharp bills used for fishing
2. A group of wading birds found near water bodies, known for their elongated necks and legs, and their skill in catching aquatic prey
3. Taxonomic classification comprising various species of herons and egrets, noted for stalking shallow waters to hunt fish and amphibians with pointed beaks

Etymology: A heron was "ardea" in Latin, and the family name Ardeidae is built directly on that word. Zoologists form the names of animal families by taking a genus name and adding the suffix "-idae," which comes from a Greek patronymic ending meaning "descendant of." So the family is, in effect, the "children of the Ardea," the group that the genus name represents. The genus Ardea gave the family its name. That genus holds the grey heron, and its name carried through to the whole group of herons, egrets, and bitterns that share its features. The family-level name is a technical coinage made for classification rather than an everyday word that developed over centuries. The birds it describes were named by people long before, but the family name itself is a modern scientific creation.

Synonyms: herons, egrets, bitterns