Heron

Herons are a type of bird mentioned minimally in the How to Train Your Dragon Book series.

Description
Herons (Family Ardeidae) are generally long-legged and long-beaked wading birds. They typically occur in areas of fresh water or salt water, depending on the species. Their long legs allow for wading in water without submerging in it and their long beaks and necks function as spears to catch prey. Most herons' diet include fish, aquatic invertebrates like molluscs and crustaceans, and sometimes small reptiles, bird eggs, and carrion.

Herons can be separated from other similarly appearing bird taxa such as cranes, from they way they fly. Herons fly with their necks tucked back on their bodies, while other wading birds fly with their necks stretched out.

Function
The Heron is mentioned in the Book series as a metaphor for comparison.

In reality, there is little human usage of herons, though most likely they have been consumed occasionally in history.

How to Speak Dragonese
"If I didn't owe you a favor, O-Boy-With-Legs-Like-a-Heron, ... that dragon would be history ..."

- Ziggerastica in Book 3

Ziggerastica the nanodragon emperor always refers to Hiccup and humans in a derogatory manner, in this instance comparing Hiccup's lanky legs to that of a heron's.