View PDF · Bittern (Aves: Ardeidae) from the Early Miocene of New Zealand The fossil record of the Ardeidae. taxon a age location reference notes Ardeid the higher taxonomy of the herons based on our phylogeny. Scofield, R. Paul, TRevoR H. WoRTHy & alan J.d. TennySon, 2010. A heron (Aves: Ardeidae) from theOn the basis of a tarsometatarsus and a coracoid we describe a new species of bittern (Ardeidae: Botaurinae) from the St Bathans Fauna, of early Miocene age