Great Egret

Ardea alba

Wetlands. Bill yellow, black briefly when breeding; legs and feet black.

Bitterns, Egrets, Herons

Not Endemic

Description

Fairly common resident. Almost the size of[Grey Heron]. Long-necked, long-legged egret with orange-yellow bill; frequently misidentified as [Yellow-billed (Intermediate) Egret], but is much larger with entirely black legs and feet. The line of the gape extends behind the eye; cf. [Yellow-billed (Intermediate) Egret]. For a few weeks when breeding, the bill is black, often with a yellow base, and filamentous plumes are present on the back. Single birds usually seen standing motionless in shallows of large rivers, dams, estuaries and floodplains. Dispersive and nomadic.

Quick Facts

Bird Family

Water-associated birds with long bills and necks and long legs. When breeding, many species have long, filamentous plumes on their back or lower breast (or both), while others have more or less permanent long plumes on their napes. In flight, they tuck their heads into their shoulders, thus differing from storks, ibises and cranes. They seldom soar. Many herons are solitary in habit and secretive; others are gregarious and seen more frequently. Most perch in trees and nest in trees or reeds, or even on the ground. All have harsh, squawking voices heard mostly when flushed. Four comparative silhouettes represent (a): Dwarf Bittern; (b): Squacco Heron; (c): Little Egret; and (d): Grey Heron.