What is "ardea cinerea"

Heron \Her"on\, n. [OE. heiroun, heroun, heron, hern, OF. hairon, F. h['e]ron, OHG. heigir; cf. Icel. hegri, Dan. heire, Sw. h["a]ger, and also G. h["a]her jay, jackdaw, OHG. hehara, higere, woodpecker, magpie, D. reiger heron, G. reiher, AS. hr[=a]gra. Cf. Aigret, Egret.] (Zo["o]l.) 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.

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.

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.