Little Egret - Egretta garzetta, species information page.

Close window
Little Egret

Photo ©2015–Simon J. Tonge
Click for a larger image

Recording ©2024 Paul Kelly

Little Egret - Egretta garzetta
Family - Ardeidae

The Little Egret is one of the Heron species in the family Ardeidae. Smaller than a Heron at 55-65cm (22-26in) long with a wingspan of 88-106cm (35-42in) it is an overall white with a long dagger like black beak, long black legs and yellow feet. It is an aquatic bird feeding in shallow water and damp inland areas, it weighs 350-550g (12-19oz). Their breeding range is warm temperate climates through to tropical parts of Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe. It is a successful colonist with stable and self-sustaining populations now present in the UK. It breeds in localised groups making a platform nest of sticks in a tree, bush or reed bed where a clutch of three to five bluish-green eggs are laid which are incubated by both parents for around three weeks, with the young fledging at about six weeks old.

In warmer areas they are permanent residents however in Northerly area many European birds are migratory overwintering in Africa and southern Asia. Found in varying habitats that include lakes, ponds, rivers, canals, marshes and flooded land, they prefer open locations to dense cover. Their diet is mainly fish, but amphibians, small reptiles, mammals and birds will also feature in their diet, as well as crustaceans, molluscs and insects.

At one time common a common bird in Western Europe, it was hunted extensively to provide plumes for hat decoration resulting in it becoming locally extinct in north-western Europe and scarce in other areas. Modern day conservation laws introduced in the 1950-60's saw their numbers increase markedly. It is now breeding successfully western Europe, Ireland and Britain where it continues to expand. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICANN) has assessed the bird's conservation status as being of "least concern".

Close window