Great Egret

A peek at Florida's Nature

Great Egret

The Great Egret is a white heron that stands approximately three feet tall. It has a long graceful neck, long black legs and black feet. Its pointed bill is yellow, and it sometimes has a small black area near the tip. The Great Egret uses a stalking method to catch fish. It wades through shallow water till it finds its meal, then it grabs it or stabs it with its long sharp bill. Often seen with Snowy Egrets, Ibises and Little Blue Herons, the Great Egret is usually the first one in the water as the tide goes out. Its long legs allow it to get a head start on the other wading birds.

The feathers of some birds look rumpled or notched, but the plumage of the Great Egret is beautiful. It it so smooth and brilliantly white that it takes just the right lighting to show details in a photo. When this bird takes flight, it looks like it has the wings of an angel.

Great Egret with black legs, black feet and yellow bill

During breeding time the Great Egret has bright green lores,* and beautiful lacy white plumes on its back and tail. Unfortunately, these feathers are what almost caused the bird to become extinct. Before it was protected by law, the Great Egret was hunted and killed for those lovely white plumes.

Male and female Great Egrets look alike. Young Great Egrets look very similar to the adults.

*The lore is the area between the bill and the eyes.

Great Egret in flight

It is common to see Great Egrets strolling through neighborhoods in Florida. They often seem unafraid of people and will walk slowly across lawns and among shrubs in search of lizards and insects. Floridians with fish ponds on their property will find that their fish seem to disappear whenever Great Egrets are in the area.

The photos on this page were taken in Tarpon Springs, Florida.