The great egret, also known as the common egret, large egret, great white egret, or great white heron, is a large, widely distributed egret. The four subspecies are found in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and southern Europe. Recently, it has also been spreading to more northern areas of Europe. Distributed across most of the tropical and warmer temperate regions of the world, it builds tree nests in colonies close to water.
Region
Global tropics and warm temperate regions
Typical Environment
Found on every continent except Antarctica, it inhabits freshwater and brackish wetlands including marshes, lakes, slow rivers, rice paddies, mangroves, estuaries, and tidal flats. It favors shallow water with emergent vegetation or open shoreline for foraging. Nests are typically placed in trees or tall shrubs over or near water, often within mixed heronries. In many temperate areas it withdraws to ice-free coasts or more southerly wetlands in winter.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The great egret was once hunted heavily for its ornate breeding plumes (aigrettes), which helped spark early bird protection movements and the founding of the Audubon Society. It flies with its long neck retracted into an S-shape, a hallmark of herons and egrets. During breeding, its facial skin (lores) turns bright green and it displays long, delicate back plumes.
Adult in flight
Breeding plumage
Sharing space on a log with a grey heron (Ardea cinerea), Oriental darter (Anhinga melanogaster) and a group of little cormorants (Microcarbo niger)
Non-breeding adult wading near a Mugger crocodile
Egg in the collection of Museum Wiesbaden
Spearing a fish
Landing in Matadero Creek
Taxidermied specimens, American Museum of Natural History
Temperament
wary but tolerant around humans; generally calm when foraging
Flight Pattern
slow deep wingbeats with neck retracted; capable soaring on thermals
Social Behavior
Often forages singly or loosely with other wading birds, but nests colonially in large heronries. Pairs are seasonally monogamous and build stick platforms in trees or tall shrubs. Both sexes share incubation and chick rearing.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
Vocalizations are harsh croaks and grating calls, especially at colonies. During displays, it emits low rasps and clucks rather than melodic songs.
Plumage
Entirely white plumage with long, lacy breeding plumes on the back in the breeding season; smooth, sleek feathers and an elongated S-shaped neck.
Diet
An opportunistic predator of small fish, frogs, tadpoles, aquatic insects, crustaceans, and small reptiles; occasionally takes small mammals. It hunts by standing motionless or stalking slowly in shallow water, striking rapidly with its dagger-like bill. It may also use foot-stirring and shadowing techniques to flush prey.
Preferred Environment
Shallow margins of lakes, ponds, marshes, flooded fields, tidal flats, and mangroves. Often feeds along exposed mud or sand bars and vegetated edges where visibility and strike distance are optimal.
