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Ardeidae
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General

The following is based on analysis of dictionaries and other sources. Comments and corrections welcome. Malaysian names are now being updated. For consistency, Vietnamese bird names (except for ducks and chickens) are preceded by the word Chim meaning 'bird'. Ornithological lists mostly omit this as understood. Hover over Green Lettering Green lettering at this site hides a tool tip with glosses, further explanations, etc. Hover cursor to reveal. to see additional information.

The usual name for the egrets, smaller herons, and bitterns in Vietnamese is . This is a general category term that is not used solely for the Ardeidae; it also covers the physically similar storks and ibises. Cò ngàng is a term specifically used for egrets.

The great herons, with their larger size and more distinctive colouring, are known as Diệc.

The Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) is called Vạc, reflecting its cry (onomatopoeic), and the name has been extended to similar-looking smaller herons and bitterns. The Black-crowned Night Heron is known by similar onomatopoeic names in Thai (แขวก kʰwàeek) and Malaysian/Indonesian (Kuak or Kowak).

Ornithological naming

Naturalists assign names to the ardeids as follows:

Vietnamese name Subfamily Description Genera
Vạc (unmarked refers to Nycticorax nycticorax) Botaurinae Bitterns Botaurus
Ardeinae Night Herons Gorsachius, Nycticorax
Diệc Ardeinae Great Herons Ardea (except Ardea alba)
Egretta sacra (Nguyen, Le, Phillipps)
Botaurinae Bitterns Ixobrychus, Dupetor
Ardeinae Night Herons Gorsachius -- alternative name
Small Herons Butorides, Ardeola
Egrets Bubulcus, Egretta, Ardea alba

Nguyen, Le & Phillipps revise the Ixobrychus names slightly in order to make Cò lùn 'dwarf stork' a generic name . They also change the name of Egretta sacra from (egret) to Diệc (great heron), a recognition that, despite its assignment to the egrets under the scientific taxonomy, the dark-coloured Egretta sacra is felt to belong with the great herons rather than the white-coloured egrets.

On the other hand, TVC (33), in an apparent nod to the scientific taxonomy, renames both Ardea alba and Botaurus stellaris to Diệc. The latter, in particular, is clearly an artificial creation based on the scientific name.

TVC also inadvertently gives the same name, Cò đen 'black stork', to both Ixobrychus (Dupetor) flavicollis and Egretta sacra.

The name is used by ornithologists for genera in the following families:

USE OF IN OTHER FAMILIES
Name Family Subfamily Description Genera
Ciconiidae   Storks Mycteria, Anastomus, Ephippiorhynchus
Cò quăm Threskiornithidae Threskiornithinae Ibises Threskiornis, Pseudibis, Plegadis
Cò thìa Threskiornithidae Plataleinae Spoonbills Platalea

Cultural

Herons and bitterns are favourites for similes and folk expressions in Vietnamese. For example:

Mệt lử cò bợ 'exhausted (as a) Chinese pond-heron' = 'dog-tired, exhausted'.

Làng cò bợ 'band of Chinese pond-herons' = 'drunkards'.

Người như cò hương 'body like a black bittern' = 'skinny as a rake, thin as a lath'.

Ốm như cò ma 'sick as a cattle egret' = 'sick as a dog, very ill'.

Kêu như vạc 'cry like a night heron' = 'cry incessantly'.

The Chinese have a proverb: 鷸蚌相争,漁人得利 yù bàng xiāng zhēng, yúrén dé lì. 'The yu (= snipe) and the clam struggle; the fisherman profits'. This derives from an old story of a snipe/sandpiper who put his bill inside the clam's shell in order to eat the clam. The clam countered by clamping its shell tightly onto the bird's bill. The two were locked in a battle that neither could win. Along came the fisherman and claimed them both. The moral of the story is obvious.

Vietnamese has borrowed this proverb, but substitutes a (which we have noted covers smaller herons, storks, and ibises) for the snipe: Cò trai giữ nhau, ngư ông được lợi 'The stork and the mollusc hang on to each other, the fisherman gains the benefit'. (Vietnamese sometimes also substitutes a fight between a cockle and a clam, ngao sò.)

Chữ Nôm

The characters used for ardeids in the now obsolete Chữ Nôm characters include:

Name Chữ Nôm
Images from the Vietnamese Nôm Preservation Foundation dictionary. (Errors are the sole responsibility of the author of this site)
chu nom for co, chu nom for co, chu nom for co, chu nom for co, chu nom for co, chu nom for co
Diệc chu nom for diec, chu nom for diec
Vạc chu nom for vac, chu nom for vac, chu nom for vac, chu nom for vac

Species names

› ABOUT THIS TABLE‹
SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN
VIETNAMESE
EAST ASIAN
S. E. ASIAN
Botaurus
Latin
English/French
Vietnamese
Other V
Chinese
Japanese
Thai
Malaysian
Indonesian
Botaurus stellaris
link to photolink to photo
Eurasian bittern
Great bittern
Bittern
Common bittern

Butor étoilé
Chim Vạc rạ
'stubble vạc bird' (onomat.) (12, 13)
Chim Diệc sao
'starred heron (bird)' (34)
大麻
(大麻鳽)
dà má-yán
'large flax bittern'
Taiwan:
(大麻鹭)
大麻鷺
dà má-lù
'large flax-heron'
サンカノゴイ
(三家五位)
sanka no goi
'mountain-house bittern'
นกยางแดงใหญ่
nók yaaŋ daeeŋ yày
'large red heron (bird)'
Burung Pucung Paya
'marsh smallheron (bird)' (28) Burung Pucung Danau
'lake smallheron (bird)' (24, 25, 26)
 
Ixobrychus
Latin
English/French
Vietnamese
Other V
Chinese
Japanese
Thai
Malaysian
Indonesian
Ixobrychus sinensis
link to photo
Yellow bittern
Chinese little bittern

Blongios de Chine
Chim Cò lửa lùn
'dwarf fire stork (bird)' (12, 34)
Chim Cò lùn xám
'grey dwarf stork (bird)' (13)
黄斑苇
(黃斑葦鳽)
huáng-bān wěi-yán
'yellow-striped reed bittern' (2, 4)
黄苇
(黃葦鳽)
huáng wěi-yán
'yellow reed bittern' (1, 3, 5)
Taiwan:
(黄小鹭)
黃小鷺
huáng xiǎo-lù
'yellow small heron'
ヨシゴイ
(葦五位)
yoshi goi
'reed bittern'
นกยางไฟหัวดำ
nók yaaŋ-fay hŭa-dam
'black-headed fire-heron (bird)'
Burung Pucung Kuning
'yellow smallheron (bird)' (old, 26, 28)
Burung Pucung Merah
'red smallheron (bird)' (24, 25)
Burung Bambangan
'bang-bang bird' (onomat.) (old)
Burung Bambangan Kuning
'yellow bang-bang bird' (onomat.) (29, 30)
Ixobrychus eurhythmus
link to photo
Shrenck's bittern
Schrenck's little bittern

Blongios mandchou
Chim Cò nâu
'brown stork (bird)' (12, 34)
Chim Cò lùn nâu
'brown dwarf stork (bird)' (13)
紫背苇
(紫背葦鳽)
zǐ-bèi wěi-yán
'purple back reed bittern'
Taiwan:
(秋小鹭)
秋小鷺
qiū xiǎo-lù
'autumn small heron'
オオヨシゴイ
(大葦五位)
ō yoshi goi
'large reed bittern'
นกยางไฟหัวเทา
nók yaaŋ-fay hŭa-tʰaw
'grey-headed fire-heron (bird)'
Burung Pucung Gelam
'agate smallheron (bird)' (old, 24, 25, 26, 28) (shared with Ixobrychus sinensis; compare Ixobrychus cinnamomeus)
Burung Bambangan Coklat
'brown bang-bang bird' (onomat.) (29, 30)
Ixobrychus cinnamomeus
link to photolink to photo
Cinnamon bittern
Chestnut bittern

Blongios cannelle
Chim Cò lửa
'fire stork (bird)' (12, 34)
Chim Cò lùn hung
'reddish dwarf stork (bird)' (13)
栗苇
(栗葦鳽)
lì wěi-yán
'chestnut reed bittern'
Taiwan:
(栗小鹭)
栗小鷺
lì xiǎo-lù
'chestnut small heron'
リュウキュウヨシゴイ
(琉球葦五位)
ryūkyū yoshi goi
'Ryukyu reed bittern'
นกยางไฟธรรมดา
nók yaaŋ-fay tʰam-ma-daa
'common fire-heron (bird)'
Burung Pucung Bendang
'wet-ricefield smallheron (bird)' (old, 24, 25, 26, 28)
Burung Bambangan Merah
'red bang-bang bird'
Burung Kekondangan
'kondang bird' (onomat.) (29)
Burung Kokokan
'kok-kok bird' (onomat.) (29)
Ixobrychus flavicollis
Dupetor flavicollis
link to photo
Black bittern
Yellow-necked bittern

Blongios à cou jaune
Chim Cò hương
'perfume stork (bird)' (12)
Dupetor flavicollis (13):
Chim Cò đen
'black stork (bird)' (13, 34) (conflicts with Egretta sacra)
黑苇
(黑葦鳽)
hēi wěi-yán
'black reed bittern' (1, 2, 4, 5)

(黑鳽)
hēi yán
'black bittern' (3. alt in 1)
Taiwan:
(黄颈黑鹭)
黃頸黑鷺
huáng-jǐng hēi-lù
'yellow-necked black heron'
タカサゴクロサギ
(高砂黒鷺)
takasago kuro-sagi
'Taiwan black heron'
นกยางดำ
nók yaaŋ dam
'black heron (bird)'
Burung Pucung Hitam
'black smallheron (bird)' (old, 24, 25, 26, 28)
Burung Bambangan Hitam
'black bang-bang bird'
Burung Kokokan Sungai
'river kok-kok bird' (onomat.) (29)
Gorsachius
Latin
English/French
Vietnamese
Other V
Chinese
Japanese
Thai
Malaysian
Indonesian
Gorsachius magnificus
Nycticorax magnificus
White-eared night heron
White-eared night-heron
Magnificent night heron
Chinese night heron

Bihoreau superbe
Chim Vạc hoa
'flowery vạc bird' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34)
  海南
(海南鳽)
hǎinán yán
'Hainan bittern'
or
海南夜
(海南夜鳽)
hǎinán yè-yán
'Hainan night-bittern' (alt in 1, 5)
ハイナンミゾゴイ
(海南溝五位)
hainan mizo-goi
'Hainan ditch-bittern'
     
Gorsachius melanolophus
Nycticorax melanolophus
link to photolink to photo
Malaysian night heron
Malayan night-heron
Malay night heron
Tiger bittern

Bihoreau malais
Chim Cò tôm
'shrimp stork (bird)' (12, 34)
or
Chim Vạc rừng
'forest vạc bird' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34)
  黑冠
(黑冠鳽)
hēi-guān yán
'black-crested bittern'
or
黑冠夜
(黑冠夜鳽)
hēi-guān yè-yán
'black-crested night-bittern' (alt in 1, 5)
Taiwan:
(黑冠麻鹭)
黑冠麻鷺
hēi-guān má-lù
'black-crested flax-heron'
ズグロミゾゴイ
(頭黒溝五位)
zu-guro mizo-goi
'black-headed ditch-bittern'
นกยางลายเสือ
nók yaaŋ laay-sĕua
'tiger-striped heron (bird)'
Burung Pucung Harimau
'tiger smallheron (bird)' (26, 28)
Burung Pucung Rimau
'tiger smallheron (bird)' (24, 25)
Burung Kowak Melayu
'Malayan kowak bird' (onomat.) (29, 30)
Nycticorax
Latin
English/French
Vietnamese
Other V
Chinese
Japanese
Thai
Malaysian
Indonesian
Nycticorax nycticorax
link to photolink to photolink to photo
Black-crowned night heron
Black-crowned night-heron
Night heron

Bihoreau gris
Chim Vạc
'vạc bird' (onomat.) (12, 13, 34)
  夜鹭
(夜鷺)
yè lù
'night heron'
Taiwan:
(夜鹭)
夜鷺
yè lù
'night heron'
ゴイサギ
(五位鷺)
goi sagi
'bittern heron'
นกแขวก
nók kʰwàeek
'kʰwàeek bird' (onomat.)
Burung Kuak(-kuak)
'kuak(-kuak) bird' (onomat.) (old)
Burung Pucung Kuak
'kuak smallheron (bird)' (onomat.) (24, 25, 26, 28)
Burung Kowak
'kowak bird' (onomat) (old, 29)
Burung Kowak-malam
'night-kowak bird' (onomat.) (old)
Burung Kowak-malam Abu
'ashy night-kowak bird' (onomat.) (30)
Butorides
Latin
English/French
Vietnamese
Other V
Chinese
Japanese
Thai
Malaysian
Indonesian
Butorides striata
Butorides striatus
Ardeola striata
link to photolink to photo
Striated heron
Little heron
Green-backed heron
Little green heron

Héron strié
Chim Cò xanh
'blue/green stork (bird)' (12, 13, 34)
  绿鹭
(綠鷺)
lǜ lù
'green heron' (1, 2, 3, 4)
小绿鹭
(小綠鷺)
xiǎo lǜ lù
'little green heron' (5)
Taiwan:
(绿蓑鹭)
綠蓑鷺
lǜ suō lù
'green raincoat heron'
ササゴイ
(笹五位)
sasa goi
'bamboo bittern'
นกยางเขียว
nók yaaŋ kʰĭaw
'green heron (bird)'
Burung Pucung
'smallheron (bird)' (old)
Burung Pucung Keladi
'caladium smallheron (bird)' (old, 24, 25, 26, 28) (same as Ixobrychus eurhythmus, I. sinensis; compare I. cinnamomeus)
Burung Kokokan Laut
'sea kok-kok bird' (onomat.) (29, 30)
Ardeola
Latin
English/French
Vietnamese
Other V
Chinese
Japanese
Thai
Malaysian
Indonesian
Ardeola bacchus
link to photo
Chinese pond heron
Chinese pond-heron

Crabier chinois
Chim Cò bợ
'bợ stork (bird)' (12, 13, 34)
Chim Cò luồng
'stream stork (bird)'
池鹭
(池鷺)
chí-lù
'pond heron'
Taiwan:
(池鹭)
池鷺
chí-lù
'pond heron'
アカガシラサギ
(赤頭鷺)
aka-gashira sagi
'red-headed heron'
นกยางกรอกพันธุ์จีน
nók yaaŋ-kròaak pʰan ciin
'Chinese species kròaak heron (bird)' (onomat.)
Burung Pucung Cina
'Chinese smallheron (bird)' (24, 25, 26)
Burung Pucung Danau Cina
'Chinese lake-smallheron (bird)' (28)
Burung Blekok Cina
'Chinese kok bird' (onomat.) (30)
Ardeola speciosa
link to photo
Javan pond heron
Javan pond-heron
Javanese pond heron

Crabier malais
Chim Cò bợ Java
'Javanese bợ stork (bird)' (12)
Chim Cò bợ Mã Lai
'Malay bợ stork (bird)' (34)
爪哇池鹭
(爪哇池鷺)
zhǎowā chí-lù
'Javanese pond heron'
Taiwan:
(爪哇池鹭)
爪哇池鷺
zhǎowā chí-lù
'Javanese pond heron'
ジャワアカガシラサギ
(ジャワ赤頭鷺)
jawa aka-gashira sagi
'Javanese red-headed heron'
นกยางกรอกพันธุ์ชวา
nók yaaŋ-kròaak pʰan cʰa-waa
'Javanese species kròaak heron (bird)' (onomat.)
Burung Pucung Jawa
'Javanese smallheron (bird)' (24, 25, 26)
Burung Pucung Danau Jawa
'Javanese lake-smallheron (bird)' (28)
Burung Blekok
'kok bird' (onomat.) (old)
Burung Blekok Sawah
'wet-field kok bird' (onomat.) (29, 30)
Bubulcus
Latin
English/French
Vietnamese
Other V
Chinese
Japanese
Thai
Malaysian
Indonesian
Bubulcus ibis
Egretta ibis
link to photo
Cattle egret
Buff-backed heron

Héron garde-boeufs
Chim Cò ruồi
'fly stork (bird)' (12, 13, 34)
Chim Cưỡi
'sit astride bird' (alt in 34)
Chim Cò ma
'cow stork (bird)' (alt in 13)
Chim Cò trâu
'buffalo stork (bird)'
牛背鹭
(牛背鷺)
niú-bèi lù
'ox-back heron'
Taiwan:
(黄头鹭)
黃頭鷺
huáng-tóu lù
'yellow-headed heron'
アマサギ
(亜麻鷺)
ama-sagi
'flax-heron'
Bubulcus coromandus:
นกยางควาย
nók yaaŋ kʰwaay
'water-buffalo heron (bird)'
Burung Bangau Kerbau
'buffalo stork (bird)' (26, 28)
Burung Bangau Kendi
'watercarafe stork (bird)' (name exchanged with Egretta intermedia) (24, 25)
Burung Kuntul Kerbau
'buffalo egret (bird)' (29, 30)
Ardea
Latin
English/French
Vietnamese
Other V
Chinese
Japanese
Thai
Malaysian
Indonesian
Ardea cinerea
link to photolink to photo
Grey heron

Héron cendré
Chim Diệc xám
'grey heron (bird)' (12, 13, 34)
Chim Diệc mốc
'grey heron (bird)'
苍鹭
(蒼鷺)
cāng-lù
'darkblue heron'
Taiwan:
(苍鹭)
蒼鷺
cāng-lù
'darkblue heron'
アオサギ
(青鷺)
ao-sagi
'blue/green heron'
นกกระสานวล
nók krà-săa nuan
'pale largewader (bird)'
Burung Seriap
'greatheron (bird)' (old) (same as Ardea sumatrana, Ardea purpurea)
Burung Pucung Seriap
'greatheron smallheron (bird)' (24, 25, 26, 28)
Burung Cangak Abu
'ashy greatheron (bird)' (old, 29, 30)
Ardea sumatrana
link to photo
Great-billed heron
Dusky-grey heron

Héron typhon
Chim Diệc Xumatra
'Sumatra heron (bird)' (12)
Chim Diệc Sumatra
'Sumatra heron (bird)' (34)
大嘴鹭
(大嘴鷺)
dà-zuǐ lù
'large-billed heron' (4)
乌灰鹭
(烏灰鷺)
wū-huī lù
'black-grey heron' (5)
スマトラサギ
(スマトラ鷺)
sumatora-sagi
'Sumatra heron'
นกกระสาใหญ่
nók krà-săa yày
'large largewader (bird)')
Burung Lembu
'cattle (bird)' (old)
Burung Pucung Lembu
'cattle smallheron (bird)' (24, 25, 26, 28)
Burung Cangak Laut
'sea greatheron (bird)' (29, 30)
Ardea purpurea
link to photolink to photolink to photo
Purple heron

Héron pourpré
Chim Diệc lửa
'fire heron (bird)' (12, 13, 34)
  草鹭
(草鷺)
cǎo-lù
'grass heron'
Taiwan:
(紫鹭)
紫鷺
zǐ-lù
'purple heron'
ムラサキサギ
(紫鷺)
murasaki-sagi
'purple heron'
นกกระสาแดง
nók krà-săa daeeŋ
'red largewader (bird)')
Burung Serandau
'wader (bird)' (old) (same as Ardea cinerea)
Burung Pucung Serandau
'wader smallheron (bird)' (24, 25, 26, 28)
Burung Cangak Merah
'red greatheron (bird)' (29, 30)
Ardea alba
Egretta alba
Casmerodius albus
link to photolink to photo
Great egret
Great white heron

Grande Aigrette
Egretta alba (12), Casmerodius albus (13):
Chim Cò ngàng lớn
'large ngàng stork (bird)' (12, 13)
Chim Diệc lớn
'large heron (bird)' (34)
大白鹭
(大白鷺)
dà bái-lù
'large white heron'
Taiwan:
(大白鹭)
大白鷺
dà bái-lù
'large white heron'
ダイサギ
(大鷺)
dai-sagi
'large heron'
Ardea modesta:
นกยางโทนใหญ่
nók yaaŋ tʰoon yày
'large solitary heron (bird)'
Burung Bangau Besar
'large stork (bird)' (old, 24, 25, 26, 28)
Burung Kuntul
'egret (bird)' (old)
Burung Kuntul Besar
'large egret (bird)' (30)
Burung Kuntul Putih Besar
'large white egret (bird)' (29)
Ardea intermedia
Egretta intermedia
Mesophoyx intermedia
link to photolink to photo
Intermediate egret
Plumed egret
Lesser egret

Héron intermédiaire
Egretta intermedia (12, 34), Mesophoyx intermedia (13):
Chim Cò ngàng nhỏ
'small ngàng stork (bird)' (12, 13, 34)
  中白鹭
(中白鷺)
zhōng bái-lù
'medium white heron'
Taiwan:
(中白鹭)
中白鷺
zhōng bái-lù
'medium white heron'
チュウサギ
(中鷺)
chū-sagi
'medium heron'
นกยางโทนน้อย
nók yaaŋ tʰoon nóaay
'little solitary heron (bird)'
Burung Bangau Kendi
'watercarafe stork (bird)' (26, 28)
Burung Bangau Kerbau
'buffalo stork (bird)' (Name swapped with Bubulcus ibis) (24, 25)
Burung Kuntul Perak
'silver egret (bird)' (29, 30)
Egretta
Latin
English/French
Vietnamese
Other V
Chinese
Japanese
Thai
Malaysian
Indonesian
Egretta garzetta
link to photolink to photo
Little egret

Aigrette garzette
Chim Cò trắng
'white stork (bird)' (12, 34)
›Name‹
Chim Cò ngàng
'ngàng stork (bird)'
白鹭
(白鷺)
bái-lù
'white heron'

Taiwan:
(小白鹭)
小白鷺
xiǎo bái-lù
'little white heron'
コサギ
(小鷺)
ko-sagi
'small heron'
นกยางเปีย
nók yaaŋ pia
'tufted (back of head) heron (bird)'
Burung Bangau Kecil
'small stork (bird)' (24, 25, 26, 28)
Burung Kuntul Kecil
'small egret (bird)' (30)
Burung Kuntul Perak Kecil
'small silver egret (bird)' (29)
Egretta sacra
link to photolink to photo
Pacific Reef Egret
Pacific reef-egret
Eastern reef-egret
Reef heron
Eastern reef heron
Reef egret

Aigrette sacrée
Chim Cò đen
'black stork (bird)' (12, 34) (conflicts with Ixobrychus flavicollus)
Chim Diệc đen
'black heron (bird)' (13)
岩鹭
(岩鷺)
yán-lù
'rock heron'
Taiwan:
(岩鹭)
岩鷺
yán-lù
'rock heron'
クロサギ
(黒鷺)
kuro-sagi
'black heron'
นกยางทะเล
nók yaaŋ tʰa-lee
'sea heron (bird)'
Burung Pucung Batu
'rock smallheron (bird)' (old)
Burung Bangau Batu
'rock stork (bird)' (24, 25, 26, 28)
Burung Kuntul Karang
'coral egret (bird)' (29, 30)
Egretta eulophotes
link to photo
Chinese egret
Swinhoe's egret

Aigrette de Chine
Chim Cò trắng Trung Quốc
'Chinese white stork (bird)' (12, 13, 34)
  黄嘴白鹭
(黄嘴白鷺)
huáng-zuǐ bái-lù
'yellow-billed white heron'
Taiwan:
(唐白鹭)
唐白鷺
táng bái-lù
'Chinese white heron'
カラシラサギ
(唐白鷺)
kara shira-sagi
'Chinese white heron'
นกยางจีน
nók yaaŋ ciin
'Chinese heron (bird)'
Burung Bangau Cina
'Chinese stork (bird)' (24, 25, 26, 28)
Burung Kuntul Cina
'Chinese egret (bird)' (30)

is a general name for storks (excluding adjutants), ibises, and certain types of medium-sized ardeid. Its scope includes the egrets but excludes the great herons and some night herons and bitterns. Attempts have been made in the ornithological naming to bring Vietnamese names into conformity with the scientific taxonomy.

นกกระส nók krà-săa 'largewader (bird)' is popularly used for Ardea great-herons (except for egrets) in the Ardeidae, and also for the storks (Ciconiidae), cranes (Gruidae), and ibises (Threskiornithidae). However, in modern ornithological Thai the name has been restricted only to the Ardeidae and Ciconiidae species.

The name นกยางโทน nók yaaŋ tʰoon 'solitary heron' for the two Ardea egrets is paralleled in Northern Thai นกขวากตน nók kʰwàak ton 'solitary greatheron' reported for Ardea cinerea. Currently, ornithological 'solitary' heron names are known only for these three species.

Bambangan 'bang-bang bird' is an old Indonesian bittern name first recorded for Ixobrychus sinensis, now also applied to other bittern species in (29, 30).

Kokokan 'kok-kok bird' is an Indonesian name for small herons and bitterns. It is a reduplicated version of the similar sound kok used in blekok 'pond heron'. Unmodified, kokokan is used in (29) for Ixobrychus cinnamomeus, suggesting the other kokokan names in (29) are extensions.

Nightherons are named after their distinctive loud calls. The same basic call is rendered here variously as kuak, kuak-kuak, kuar, kuaran, kowak, etc. A corresponding name in early Javanese is guwo.

Pucung is originally an old general name for any of several small herons and bitterns. Unmodified pucung has been especially identified with Butorides striata since the early 19th century. Principally in Malaysian, the name has been relatively recently extended to refer to any birds called 'heron' in English.

Blekek (also written belekek) 'kek bird' is the Javanese version of Malay berkek or berkik 'snipe'. Indonesian blekek has been recorded for various kinds of birds hunted as snipe, including true snipe and dowitchers (Scolopacidae), painted snipe (Rostratulidae), and as here, small herons (Ardeidae)

Blekok (also written belekok) 'kok bird' is the old name for Ardeola speciosa on Java, where only that one species of pond heron normally occurs, but the name has always been used for vagrants of other species as well. Blekok is extended as a general pond heron name for ornithological Indonesian in (30).

Bangau 'stork' is a widely used general name for large wading birds. In Malaysian bangau has principally come to refer to any birds called 'egret' in English, but earlier records include any mostly-white herons as well as great herons and storks. In addition, bangau is popularly used for cranes (Gruidae), the extralimital flamingos (Phoenicopteridae), and (especially in Indonesian) for adjutant storks (Ciconiidae). Bangau has also been extended as a general 'stork' name for ornithological Indonesian in (30).

Kendi 'watercarafe' refers to (originally South Asian) water containers whose shapes or modes of use suggest certain round-bodied, long-billed birds. Aside from its use as a descriptor for certain egrets in Ardeidae, kendi also serves as the base for Malaysian names of curlews and whimbrels (Scolopacidae). The derived form sekendi is used for ibises and spoonbills (Threskiornithidae).

Pucung is originally an old general name for any of several small herons and bitterns. Following an early ornithological extension, Malaysian pucung now may refer to any bird called 'heron' in English. Pucung was inserted into all ornithological Malaysian Ardeidae names (except those for egrets) in (24), a practice continued by most subsequent authorities.

Several loud heron calls are traditionally said to resemble the sounds made by cattle or buffalo. Lembu 'cattle' in the name for Ardea sumatrana refers to the perceived similarity in sound rather than a physical association with cattle. Kuak, the verb 'to make cattle noises', is conventionally written the same way as kuak, one of the onomatopoetic names for Nycticorax nightherons.

Kuntul (variously written kuntul, kontul, kontol, kundur, kutur, koto, kuntuk) is an old Indonesian, Javanese and East-Coast Malayan general name for egret. Unmodified kuntul may be popularly used in Indonesian for any egret, but refers especially to the largest species, Ardea alba. Optionally besar 'large' may be added to reinforce that identification.

Mostly from Robinson (& Chasen) 1927-1939 v1-4; additions from Madoc 1947 (et.seq.), and Glenister 1951 (both mostly names copied from Robinson)

中国鸟类种和亚种分类名录大全(修订版) 郑作新 著 科学出版社 北京 2000年
A Complete Checklist of Species and Subspecies of the Chinese Birds (Revised Edition) by Cheng Tso-Hsin, Science Press, Beijing 2000

中国鸟类分类与分布名录 主编:郑光美 科学出版社 北京 2005年
A Checklist on the Classification and Distribution of the Birds of China Chief editor: Zheng Guangmei, Science Press, Beijing 2005

中国鸟类野外手册(中文版)约翰・马敬能、卡伦・菲利普斯,合作者:荷芬奇,翻译:卢和芬 湖南教育出版社 长沙 2000年
A Field Guide to the Birds of China (Chinese translation) by John MacKinnon, Karen Phillipps, in collaboration with He Fen-qi, translated by Lu Hefen, Hunan Jiaoyu Chubanshe (Hunan Educational Press) Changsha 2000

世界鸟类分类与分布名录 主编:郑光美 科学出版社 北京 2002年
A Checklist on the Classification and Distribution of the Birds of the World Chief editor: Zheng Guangmei, Science Press, Beijing 2002

世界鸟类名称(拉丁文、汉文、英文对照)第二版 郑作新等 科学出版社 北京 2002年
Birds of the World (Latin, Chinese and English Names) 2nd ed. by Cheng Tso-Hsin et al, Science Press, Beijing 2002

Danh Lục Chim Việt Nam (In lần thứ hai) (Checklist of the Birds of Vietnam) Võ Quý, Nguyễn Cử, Nhà Xuất Bản Nông Nghiệp, Hà Nội 1999

Chim Việt Nam Nguyễn Cử, Lê Trọng Trải, Karen Phillipps; Nhà Xuất Bản Lao Động - Xã Hội, 2000

Senarai Nama-nama Burung Semenanjung Malaysia dan Asia Tenggara by Ismail, Abdul Rahman, Perhilitan (Jabatam Perlindungan Hidupan Liar dan Taman Negara, Semenanjung Malaysia), Kuala Lumpur 1981
(List of the Names of Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Southeast Asia by Ismail, Abdul Rahman, Department of Wildlife and National Parks, Peninsular Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 1981)

The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula: Vol. 1 - Non-passerines by Wells, David R., Academic Press, London 1999

A Field Guide to the Birds of West Malaysia and Singapore by Jeyarajasingam, Allen and Alan Pearson, Oxford University Press, Oxford 1999

The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula: Vol. 2 - Passerines by Wells, David R., Christopher Helm, A&C Black, London 2007

A Field Guide to the Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore (second edition) by Jeyarajasingham, Allen, Illustrations by Alan Pearson, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2012

A Field Guide to the Birds of Java and Bali (second edition) by MacKinnon, John, Gadjah Mada University Press, Yogyakarta 1990

Burung Nusantara checklist of Birds of Indonesia

Danh Lục Các Loài Chim ở Việt Nam (Latinh, Việt, Pháp, Hán) Trần Văn Chánh 2008-2009