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Description: 37-41"
Great Egret feathers are solid white. Bill is yellow and legs are dark
gray. Similar species are the smaller Cattle Egret which has yellow legs,
Snowy Egret which has a black bill and bright yellow feet below black
legs. Breeding Great Egrets have long lacy plumes on the back.
Habitat: Lakes, rivers, irrigation
ditches, and marshes. Usually seen slowly stalking prey in shallow water.
Nesting:
Both parents incubate a normal clutch of 3 light
bluish-green eggs in an elevated platform stick nest. The semi-altricial
chicks hatch after a 23-26 day incubation. The chicks fledge after 42-49
days.
Diet: The normal
diet consists of small birds, insects, aquatic invertebrates, and
amphibians.
Range: Valley, mountain and desert,
the Great Egret is common wherever water is found.
Status: Protected by the Migratory Bird
Act. The Great Egret is a resident that nests locally.
Comments: This is the largest and most
common white egret found near water. The lacy feathers were popular in
the haberdashery industry at the turn of the century. The feathers adorned
many women's prized hats, unfortunately this practice almost caused the
extinction of this beautiful inhabitant of river's shores. |
