When it comes to spelling the name of the herring bird, there are a few key things to keep in mind. Firstly, ‘herring’ refers to a type of small sea fish, not a bird. The bird in question is more properly called a ‘heron’. Secondly, there are several different species of heron, each with slightly different spellings. The most common heron species in many parts of the world is the Grey Heron, which would be spelled ‘Grey Heron’ or ‘Gray Heron’.
Quick Answer
The most commonly used spelling for the heron bird is ‘Grey Heron’ or ‘Gray Heron’.
What is a Heron?
Herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae. There are 64 recognised heron species in the world across several genera, including well-known birds like the Great Blue Heron and Grey Heron. Herons can be found on every continent except Antarctica.
Some key features of herons:
- Long legs, neck and bill
- Slim, aerodynamic bodies
- Solitary and patient hunters
- Stand motionless in shallow water to catch prey like fish, amphibians and small mammals
- Nest in groups called heronries during breeding season
- Build large stick nests high up in trees
Common Heron Species
Here are some of the most widespread and well-known heron species:
Grey Heron
The Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) is the most common and widespread heron species in Europe, Asia and Africa. It has blue-grey upperparts and paler underparts, with a white head and neck streaked with black. Its total length is about 100 cm (39 in).
Great Blue Heron
The Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) is the largest heron species in North America. It has blue-grey plumage with a white head and a two-tone grey and black bill. Its total length is around 120 cm (47 in).
Great Egret
The Great Egret (Ardea alba) is a large, widely dispersed heron with all-white plumage and a yellow bill. It has ornamental plumes on the back during breeding season. Its length is about 100 cm (39 in).
Cattle Egret
The Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) is a smaller heron species found in open grasslands across the tropical and subtropical parts of the world. It is white with an orange-yellow bill and reddish streaks on the head, neck and back during breeding season. Its length is 55-65 cm (22-26 in).
Black-crowned Night-Heron
The Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) is a medium-sized heron found throughout much of the world. As the name suggests, it is nocturnal. It has black and grey plumage with white cheeks and underparts. Its length is around 65 cm (26 in).
Spelling the Name ‘Heron’
When it comes to spelling the name of these birds, ‘heron’ is by far the most commonly accepted spelling in English for the aquatic bird species in the Ardeidae family. It is spelled ‘heron’ without any variations in British English, American English, Canadian English and other major dialects of English. Some key points:
- ‘Heron’ is spelled with an ‘e’ rather than an ‘a’ – heron not haron.
- There is only one ‘r’ in heron, not a double ‘rr’.
- Heron only has one ‘o’, not herron or heron.
- There are no silent letters like ‘b’ in heron.
In summary, the singular, plural and possessive forms are as follows:
- Singular – heron
- Plural – herons
- Possessive – heron’s
Capitalization
In English, the common names of animal species are not normally capitalized unless the name contains a proper noun. For example:
- grey heron (lowercase)
- Grey Heron (capitalized – contains proper noun Grey)
- great blue heron (lowercase)
The scientific names of species using binomial nomenclature are always capitalized, for example Ardea cinerea for the Grey Heron.
Plural Forms
The plural of heron is always ‘herons’, with an ‘s’ added to the end:
- There was a heron standing in the water.
- There were several herons in the heronry.
Possessive Form
To show possession with heron, an apostrophe ‘s’ is added to the end:
- The heron’s bill was long and pointed.
- The herons’ nests were high in the trees.
Commonly Misspelled Variations
Here are some common incorrect spellings for the heron bird and why they are incorrect:
- Herron – This adds an extra ‘r’. The correct spelling is heron.
- Herin – This drops the second ‘o’, which is incorrect.
- Heren – This spelling replaces the ‘o’ with an ‘e’, which is wrong.
- Herron – Doubling the ‘r’ is unnecessary in heron.
- Herion – This improperly inserts an ‘i’ after the ‘h’.
Etymology of ‘Heron’
The word ‘heron’ has existed in English since around the 13th century. It has evolved from various Old French words like hairon and heiron. Earlier it derived from the Frankish heigero, which originally came from the Proto-Germanic *hraigron. This is descended from the Proto-Indo-European root *kreik, meaning ‘to cry shrilly’.
The heron’s scientific name Ardea is from Latin and was used by Pliny and other Roman writers to refer to herons and egrets. The word comes from ardus meaning ‘heron’.
So in summary, ‘heron’ has had a very direct route into English from its ancient origins as an onomatopoeic word imitating the shrill cry of these birds.
Usage Examples
Here are some example sentences showing how ‘heron’ is used:
- The heron waited patiently in the shallows for fish to swim by.
- Many types of heron live by freshwater lakes, rivers and wetlands.
- We saw herons building nests high up in the cypress trees.
- The heron’s powerful beak speared the frog from several feet away.
- The nature reserve provides an ideal protected home for herons.
- Various species of heron are found on every continent except Antarctica.
Grey Heron vs Great Blue Heron
The Grey Heron and Great Blue Heron are two of the most widely distributed and recognizable heron species. Their key differences are:
Grey Heron | Great Blue Heron |
---|---|
– Native to Europe, Asia and Africa | – Native to North America |
– Bluish-grey plumage | – Slate-grey plumage |
– Total length around 100 cm | – Total length around 120 cm |
– White face and neck | – White head and neck |
– Yellow bill | – Two-tone grey and black bill |
– No plumes | – Decorative plumes during breeding |
Heron or Egret?
Herons and egrets are closely related groups of birds that are sometimes confused. The key differences are:
- Herons are usually blue, grey or greenish in colour. Egrets are white or buff-coloured.
- Egrets have long ornamental plumes on the head, neck and back during breeding season. Herons lack plumes (except some crested heron species).
- Egrets are almost always found near water. Herons make more use of drier habitats.
- In flight, herons pull their neck back. Egrets extend their neck.
However, there are some species like the Great Egret that are white herons. The groups do overlap taxonomically, so while colour can be a useful guide, it is not a completely reliable way to tell the two apart in all cases.
Conclusion
In summary, the correct spelling for the common name of the aquatic bird family Ardeidae in English is ‘heron’, with no variations in major dialects. The Grey Heron or Gray Heron specifically refers to the most widespread heron species Ardea cinerea. Heron is derived from the Old French heiron and related words meaning ‘heron’, which originated from onomatopoeic Proto-Germanic and Proto-Indo-European roots imitating the heron’s cry.