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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Heron \Her"on\, n. [OE. heiroun, heroun, heron, hern, OF.
hairon, F. h['e]ron, OHG. heigir; cf. Icel. hegri, Dan.
heire, Sw. h[aum]ger, and also G. h[aum]her jay, jackdaw,
OHG. hehara, higere, woodpecker, magpie, D. reiger heron, G.
reiher, AS. hr[=a]gra. Cf. {Aigret}, {Egret}.] (Zool.)
Any wading bird of the genus {Ardea} and allied genera, of
the family {Ardeid[ae]}. 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]

Note: There are several common American species; as, the
great blue heron ({Ardea herodias}); the little blue
({Ardea c[oe]rulea}); the green ({Ardea virescens});
the snowy ({Ardea candidissima}); the night heron or
qua-bird ({Nycticorax nycticorax}). The plumed herons
are called {egrets}.
[1913 Webster]

{Heron's bill} (Bot.), a plant of the genus {Erodium}; -- so
called from the fancied resemblance of the fruit to the
head and beak of the heron.
[1913 Webster]