In Dawitʻ Anyałtʻ and Gregory of Nyssa, translates Ancient Greek ἐρῳδιός 'heron', but the other attestations point to the stork. It is possible ancient Armenians did not distinguish these birds.

The origin is uncertain. Possibly related to Hittite tarla- 'a type of bird' and either borrowed from Anatolian or together with Hittite inherited from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ter-, whence Proto-Germanic *sturkaz 'stork'

Awetikʻean, G., Siwrmēlean, X., Awgerean, M. (1837) Nor baṙgirkʻ haykazean lezui, volume II, Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy, page 848a

Greppin, John A. C. (1978) Classical and Middle Armenian bird names: A linguistic, taxonomic, and mythological study, Delmar, New York: Caravan Books, pages 21–22

Greppin, John A. C. (1997) “Stork”, in Mallory, J. P., Adams, D. Q., editors, Encyclopedia of Indo-European culture, London, Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, page 548

Simon, Zsolt (2013) “Die These der hethitisch-luwischen Lehnwörter im Armenischen: eine kritische Neubetrachtung”, in International Journal of Diachronic Linguistics and Linguistic Reconstruction‎, volume 10, number 2, page 116

Muradyan, Gohar (2014) David the Invincible, Commentary on Porphyry's Isagoge, Old Armenian Text with the Greek Original, an English Translation, Introduction and Notes (Commentaria in Aristotelem Armeniaca: Davidis Opera; 3), Leiden, Boston: Brill, pages 260–261, 460

In the Bible, translates Ancient Greek ἐρῳδιός 'heron' Elsewhere, corresponds to πελαργός 'stork'.

The origin is uncertain. Perhaps ultimately from Sumerian a-ra-ak-gilimmušen /⁠arikgilim, arakgilim⁠/ 'a kind of long-legged bird', literally 'stork cross (holding leg in cross posture)'), from a-ra-akmušen /⁠arak⁠/ 'stork' and gilim 'barrier, bolt; to lie across; to be entwined; to entwine, twist; to block'. Note also Classical Syriac ⁠hrglʾ⁠ 'stork', Assyrian Neo-Aramaic hargālā 'stork'; Bengali haṛgila, Hindi haṛgillā argala 'greater adjutant'. In view of the Indian words, it is interesting that Middle Armenian rakʻil (րաքիլ) refers to a bird from India.

Sagəzean, Yovh. (1909) “Akʻkʻadean lezu”, in Handes Amsorya‎, volume 20, number 11, Vienna: Mekhitarist Press, page 335
Karst, Josef (1911) “Zur ethnischen Stellung der Armenier”, in Nersēs Akinean, editor, Huschardzan: Festschrift aus Anlass des 100-jahrigen Bestandes der Mechitaristen-Kongregation in Wien (1811–1911), und des 25. Jahrganges der philosophischen Monatsschrift Handes amsorya (1887–1911), Vienna: Mekhitarist Press, page 402
Ġapʻancʻyan, Grigor (1945) Ara Geġecʻki paštamunkʻə, Yerevan: Academy Press, page 139
Ġazaryan, Ṙuben, Avetisyan, Henrik (2009) “րաքիլ”, in Miǰin hayereni baṙaran, 2nd edition, Yerevan: University Press, page 770b
Zēytʻunean A. S., editor (1993), Girkʻ Łewtacʻwocʻ (Hay hnaguyn tʻargmanakan hušarjanner; 4)‎, Antelias: Holy See of Cilicia, critical text, page 85

Awetikʻean, G., Siwrmēlean, X., Awgerean, M. (1836) Nor baṙgirkʻ haykazean lezui, volume I, Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy, page 337c

From Portuguese garça 'heron'