Animal Profiles
Birds

Egret

Ardeidae

Living

Living individuals or members of this group exist today. This does not mean they are safe from extinction.

Egrets are herons known for pale plumage in several species. This account describes the great egret (Ardea alba), a long-legged hunter that stalks shallow water.

Ardea alba (egret)

Representative species: Ardea alba.

Chuck Homler (FocusOnWildlife.Me) · CC BY-SA

At a glance

Habitat
Wetlands, Rivers and lakes, Coast
Diet
Piscivore
Food
Mostly fish, with other small animals.

Classification

Common name
Egret
Browse group
Birds
Scientific name or taxon
Ardeidae
Taxon rank
family
Order
Pelecaniformes
Family
Ardeidae
Source classification
Aves

Taxonomy checked against GBIF. For breeds and hybrids, this describes the listed parent taxon.

Three things to know

  • It often waits motionless for prey.
  • Breeding birds grow long ornamental plumes.
  • Pairs share care of their young.

Habitat and range

Great egrets, treated broadly in the cited accounts, inhabit wetlands across much of the world. Marshes, lakes, streams, estuaries and damp open ground provide feeding places.

Appearance and adaptations

White plumage, long dark legs and a slender neck create a distinctive outline. Bill and facial colours change with breeding condition and differ between regional populations.

Diet and behaviour

Fish make up much of the diet, with amphibians, crustaceans, insects and other small animals also taken. A hunting bird stands still or wades slowly before striking. Pairs share nesting duties in colonies.

Sources

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