The Indian Subcontinent provides suitable habitats to various species of birds for residing and nesting. Herons are no exception in this regard. Various species of herons have been recorded in different parts of India. Some of these herons are described below.

Black-Crowned Night Heron
Black-Crowned Night Heron is a bird with blackish or very dark grey back and crown. The bill of the bird is dark and its eyes are red in color. It has whitish grey underside and light grey wings. The bird has light yellow or orange colored legs. Two or three long white plumes extend from the back of the bird"s head during greeting and courtship.

Indian Pond Heron
Indian Pond Heron breeds in the Indian subcontinent. This heron is known to be a stocky bird with a short neck, short and thick bill and buff-brown back. The breeding bird can be identified in terms of dark brown patches on white. Also, some breeding birds may assume bright red legs. The non breeding bird can be identified in terms of white plumage, which has olive and brown streaks. This bird has yellow eyes and greenish legs, feet and bill, which is tipped black.

White-Bellied Heron
White-Bellied Heron has been traced in the wetlands of the tropical and subtropical forests in the foothills of the eastern Himalayas of India. This critically endangered bird has a plain dark grey upper body. It has black colored bill, dark crown and a long neck. Its belly is whitish in color. The legs are black in appearance. The breeding bird can be identified in terms of a grayish-whitish nape plume and elongated grey breast feathers with whitish centers.

Chinese Pond Heron
Chinese Pond Heron breeds in northeast India. This heron has yellow colored eyes and legs. Its bill is also yellow in color, which is tipped in black. The wing of the bird is white in color. The breeding bird can be identified in terms of brick red head, throat and neck and bluish grey back.

Western Reef Heron
Western Reef Heron exhibits two plumage color forms and is therefore known to be an all-white morph and a dark grey morph bird. The white morphed bird has a yellow bill. The grey morphed bird has a whitish throat. The breeding bird is identified in terms of reddish legs and facial skin and two long feathers on the sides of the nape. Subspecies schistacea is known to breed along the coast of India to the east of India.

Other Indian Herons
Malayan Night Heron, Purple Heron and Striated Heron are the names of the other Indian Herons.