Ardeidae
Họ Diệc

General names

The following is based on analysis of dictionaries and other sources. Comments and corrections are welcome.

Note on Vietnamese naming: With the exception of ducks and chickens, it is common for Vietnamese bird names to be preceded by the word Chim meaning 'bird', although it is normally omitted in Vietnamese bird lists. All bird names, whether they include chim or not, can be preceded by the classifier con, which is used for living creatures.

The Vietnamese name for the larger herons is Chim diệc. The Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) is called Chim vạc, reflecting its cry, and several similar-looking smaller herons and bitterns are also called by this name.

However, the most common name for the egrets, herons, and bitterns is Chim cò. This is a general term that is not used exclusively for the Ardeidae; it is also used for the storks and ibises.

Naturalists assign names to the ardeids as follows:

Nguyen, Le & Phillipps change this slightly by assigning all Ixobrychus to Cò lùn 'dwarf stork/heron'. They also assign Egretta sacra to Diệc rather than Cò.

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 the cò for the snipe: Cò trai giữ nhau, ngư ông được lợi 'The heron 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)
Cò	, , , , ,
Diệc	,
Vạc	, , ,

Species names

ABOUT THIS TABLE (Hover cursor to see)

BOTAURINAE SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN VIETNAMESE EAST ASIAN S. E. ASIAN Botaurus                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Botaurus stellaris Eurasian bittern Great bittern Bittern Common bittern Butor étoilé Chim Vạc rạ 'stubble vạc bird' (onomat.)   大麻鳽 (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 Danau 'lake heron (bird)' (24, 26) Burung Pucong Danau 'lake heron (bird)' (25)   Ixobrychus                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Ixobrychus sinensis Yellow bittern Chinese little bittern Blongios de Chine Chim Cò lửa lùn 'dwarf fire stork (bird)' (cò='stork/heron/ibis') Chim Cò lùn xám 'grey dwarf stork (bird)' (cò='stork/heron/ibis') (13)   黄斑苇鳽 (黃斑葦鳽) huáng-bān wěi-yán 'yellow-striped reed bittern' (2, 4) 黄苇鳽 (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 heron (bird)' (26) Burung Pucung Merah 'red heron (bird)' (24) Burung Pucong Merah 'red heron (bird)' (25) Burung Bambangan Kuning 'yellow bittern (bird)' Ixobrychus eurhythmus Shrenck's bittern Schrenck's little bittern Blongios mandchou Chim Cò nâu 'brown stork' (cò='stork/heron/ibis') Chim Cò lùn nâu 'brown dwarf stork (bird)' (cò='stork/heron/ibis') (13)   紫背苇鳽 (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 'redbrown heron (bird)' (24, 26) Burung Pucong Gelam 'redbrown heron (bird)' (25) Burung Bambangan Coklat 'brown bittern (bird)' Ixobrychus cinnamomeus Cinnamon bittern Chestnut bittern Blongios cannelle Chim Cò lửa 'fire stork (bird)' (cò='stork/heron/ibis') Chim Cò lùn hung 'reddish dwarf stork (bird)' (cò='stork/heron/ibis') (13)   栗苇鳽 (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 heron (bird)' (24, 26) Burung Pucong Bendang 'wet-ricefield heron (bird)' (25) Burung Bambangan Merah 'red bittern (bird)' Dupetor                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Dupetor flavicollis Ixobrychus flavicollis Black bittern Yellow-necked bittern Blongios à cou jaune Chim Cò hương 'perfume stork (bird)' (cò='stork/heron/ibis') Chim Cò đen 'black stork (bird)' (cò='stork/heron/ibis') (13) Name   黑苇鳽 (黑葦鳽) hēi wěi-yán 'black reed bittern' (1, 2, 4, 5) 黑鳽 (黑鳽) hēi yán 'black bittern' (3. Alternative 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 heron (bird)' (24, 26) Burung Pucong Hitam 'black heron (bird)' (25) Burung Bambangan Hitam 'black bittern (bird)'

ARDEINAE SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN VIETNAMESE EAST ASIAN S. E. ASIAN Gorsachius                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) 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.)   海南鳽 (海南鳽) hǎinán yán 'Hainan bittern' or 海南夜鳽 (海南夜鳽) hǎinán yè-yán 'Hainan night-bittern' (Alternative 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 Malaysian night heron Malayan night-heron Malay night heron Tiger bittern Bihoreau malais Chim Cò tôm 'shrimp stork (bird)' (cò='stork/heron/ibis') or Chim Vạc rừng 'forest vạc bird' (onomat.)   黑冠鳽 (黑冠鳽) hēi-guān yán 'black-crested bittern' or 黑冠夜鳽 (黑冠夜鳽) hēi-guān yè-yán 'black-crested night-bittern' (Alternative 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 heron (bird)' (26) Burung Pucung Rimau 'tiger heron (bird)' (24) Burung Pucong Rimau 'tiger heron (bird)' (25) Burung Kowak Melayu 'Malayan kowak (bird)' (onomat.) Nycticorax                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Nycticorax nycticorax Black-crowned night heron Black-crowned night-heron Night heron Bihoreau gris Chim Vạc 'vạc bird' (onomat.)   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 Pucung Kuak 'kuak heron (bird)' (onomat.) (24, 26) Burung Pucong Kuak 'kuak heron (bird)' (onomat.) (25) Burung Kowak-malam Abu 'ashy night-kowak (bird)' (onomat.) Butorides                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Butorides striata Butorides striatus Ardeola striata Striated heron or Little heron Green-backed heron Little green heron Héron strié Chim Cò xanh 'blue/green stork (bird)' (cò='stork/heron/ibis')   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 Keladi 'taro heron (bird)' (24, 26) Burung Pucong Keladi 'taro heron (bird)' (25) Burung Kokokan Laut 'sea kokok (bird)' (onomat.) Ardeola                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Ardeola bacchus Chinese pond heron Chinese pond-heron Crabier chinois Chim Cò bợ 'bo stork (bird)' (cò='stork/heron/ibis') Cò luồng 'stream stork (bird)' (cò='stork/heron/ibis') 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 heron (bird)' (26) Burung Pucung China 'Chinese heron (bird)' (China erroneous spelling) (24) Burung Pucong Cina 'Chinese heron (bird)' (25) Burung Blekok Cina 'Chinese pondheron (bird)' (blekok/belekok from Javanese) Ardeola speciosa Javan pond heron Javan pond-heron Javanese pond heron Crabier malais Chim Cò bợ Java 'Javanese bo stork (bird)' (cò='stork/heron/ibis')   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 heron (bird)' (24, 26) Burung Pucong Jawa 'Javanese heron (bird)' (25) Burung Blekok Sawah 'ricefield pondheron (bird)' (blekok/belekok from Javanese) Bubulcus                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Bubulcus ibis Egretta ibis Cattle egret Buff-backed heron Héron garde-boeufs Chim Cò ruồi 'fly stork (bird)' (cò='stork/heron/ibis') or Chim Cò ma 'cow stork (bird)' (cò='stork/heron/ibis') (Alternative in 13) Chim Cò trâu 'buffalo stork (bird)' (cò='stork/heron/ibis') 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' นกยางควาย nók yaaŋ kʰwaay 'water-buffalo heron (bird)' Burung Bangau Kerbau 'water-buffalo heron/stork (bird)' (26) Burung Bangau Kendi 'water-carafe heron/stork (bird)' (Name erroneously swapped with Egretta intermedia) (24, 25) Burung Kuntul Kerbau 'water-buffalo egret (bird)' (kuntul 'egret', from Javanese) Ardea                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Ardea cinerea Grey heron Héron cendré Chim Diệc xám 'grey heron (bird)' 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 stork (bird)' (nók krà-săa='stork/heron') Burung Pucung Seriap 'greyheron heron (bird)' (24, 26) Burung Pucong Seriap 'greyheron heron (bird)' (25) Burung Cangak Abu 'ashy heron (bird)' (cangak 'heron', from Javanese) Ardea sumatrana Great-billed heron Dusky-grey heron Héron typhon Chim Diệc Xumatra 'Sumatra heron (bird)'   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 stork (bird)' (nók krà-săa='stork/heron') Burung Pucung Lembu 'cattle heron (bird)' (24, 26) Burung Pucong Lembu 'cattle heron (bird)' (25) Burung Cangak Laut 'sea heron (bird)' (cangak 'heron', from Javanese) Ardea purpurea Purple heron Héron pourpré Chim Diệc lửa 'fire heron (bird)'   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 stork (bird)' (nók krà-săa='stork/heron') Burung Pucung Serandau 'redheron heron (bird)' (24, 26) Burung Pucong Serandau 'redheron heron (bird)' (25) Burung Cangak Merah 'red heron (bird)' (cangak 'heron', from Javanese) Ardea alba Egretta alba Casmerodius albus Great egret Great white heron Grande Aigrette Chim Cò ngàng lớn 'large ngang stork (bird)' (cò='stork/heron/ibis')   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' นกยางโทนใหญ่ nók yaaŋ tʰoon yày 'large tʰoon heron (bird)' Burung Bangau Besar 'large heron/stork (bird)' (24, 25, 26) Burung Cangak Besar 'large heron (bird)' (cangak 'heron', from Javanese) Egretta                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Egretta intermedia Ardea intermedia Mesophyox intermedia Intermediate egret Plumed egret Lesser egret Héron intermédiaire Chim Cò ngàng nhỏ 'small ngang stork (bird)' (cò='stork/heron/ibis')   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 tʰoon heron (bird)' Burung Bangau Kendi 'water carafe heron/stork (bird)' (26) Burung Bangau Kerbau 'water-buffalo heron/stork (bird)' (Name erroneously swapped with Bubulcus ibis) (24, 25) Burung Kuntul Perak 'silver egret (bird)' (kuntul 'egret', from Javanese) Egretta garzetta Little egret Aigrette garzette Chim Cò trắng 'white stork (bird)' (cò='stork/heron/ibis') Name Cò ngàng 'ngang stork (bird)' (cò='stork/heron/ibis') 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 heron/stork (bird)' (24, 25, 26) Burung Kuntul Kecil 'small egret (bird)' (kuntul 'egret', from Javanese) Egretta sacra Pacific reef-egret or Eastern reef-egret Reef heron Eastern reef heron Reef egret Aigrette sacrée Chim Cò đen 'black stork (bird)' (cò='stork/heron/ibis') Chim Diệc đen 'black heron (bird)' (13) Name   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 Bangau Batu 'rock heron/stork (bird)' (24, 25, 26) Burung Kuntul Karang 'coral egret (bird)' (kuntul 'egret', from Javanese) Egretta eulophotes Chinese egret Swinhoe's egret Aigrette de Chine Chim Cò trắng Trung Quốc 'Chinese white stork (bird)' (cò='stork/heron/ibis')   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 heron/stork (bird)' (25, 26) Burung Bangau China 'Chinese heron/stork (bird)' (24) Burung Kuntul Cina 'Chinese egret (bird)' (kuntul 'egret', from Javanese)

Floating Menu by Milonic

TOP

Tool tips by Walter Zorn