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Little Egret (Ardea [Egretta] garzetta) Alternate name(s): "Lesser Egret", "Spotless Egret" German name(s): "Seidenreiher" Size: 55-65 cm; wing span: 88-106 cm Body Mass: 350-550 g Wing loading [g/cm2]: ca. 0.43

Europe: Family Group 5 Family Group 5 Table Great Egret Little Egret Western Cattle Egret Grey Heron Purple Heron Striated Heron Black-crowned Night Heron Squacco Heron Green Heron Eurasian Bittern Little Bittern Eurasian Spoonbill Glossy Ibis White Stork Black Stork Greater Flamingo Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names German birds home page

Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Little Egrets are the medium-sized egrets. Their plumage is all-white in the non-breeding season, with long scapular and frontal plumes during the breeding season. In addition, they grow two long, thin nuchal plumes at the back of their head. Their irises are yellow. The straight bill is black with a yellow base, the legs are black. The feet of race "garzetta" are characteristically dull-yellow.

Taxonomy, classification See Little Egret at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Little Egret is available HERE . There are two races of Little Egrets. The western, nominate race "garzetta" populates almost all of Africa to the South of the Sahara desert (with the exceptions of two regions in south-western Africa), the Nile valley, the northern coastline near the Atlas Mountains. Of this range, the southern coast of West Africa and the northern coast are wintering grounds; the rest is populated all year round. Parts of South and South-east Europe, including the Balkans, the western half of Turkey, an area around the Black Sea and another South of the Caspian Sea are summer breeding grounds. Little Egrets are found all year round along the entire Arabian coastline, the coastline of Iran/Iraq and basically all of Pakistan, the Indian subcontinent and South-east Asia. Further North, into southern China, there are additional breeding and wintering grounds. The southern end of this race's range in Asia are the Philippines. Little Egrets, race "nigripes", are found in Indonesia, New Guinea, Australia and (non-breeding) in New Zealand. (Note that the Australian/New Zealand population is sometimes also treated as separate race "immaculata".) In Europe Little Egrets, race "garzetta", are found, either as permanent residents, breeders or winter visitors, around the Mediterranean Sea, including most islands, along the European Atlantic and North Sea coast, in south-western inland Iberia and in parts of inland France, and also in England, Wales and Ireland. In addition to the Adriatic coastline, much of Greece, and around the Black Sea, they are also found up the major rivers, such as the Danube, Rhone and Seine. Little Egrets are found in the shallows of various kinds of wetlands, including ephemeral wetlands such as flooded grassland, and in intertidal mudflats.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "garzetta" J. Pires reports finding Little Egrets, race "garzetta", regularly in the area from Lisbon to Mora, Evora, along the river Tejo in Portugal. They were found in other locations in southern Portugal as well. J. Pires also found Little Egrets, race "garzetta", overwintering on Sao Jorge Island, Azores, in November 2018. D. Wilczynska reports spotting a Little Egret, race "garzetta", near Oristano, western Sardinia, Italy, in June 2016. M. Thomas reports finding a Little Egret, race "garzetta", on Mallorca, Spain, in May 2017. M. Eaton found a Little Egret, race "garzetta", in Mequinenza, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, in September 2019. M. Eaton also spotted a Little Egret, race "garzetta", near Padstow and Wadebridge, Cornwall, England, in September 2019. G. Normand found a Little Egret, race "garzetta", at Fretin, 20 km South of Lille, Hauts-de-France, France, in May 2020. Another was found in Reschen, Albania, in August 2021. In May 2023, H. Dahlem-Senger found Little Egrets, race "garzetta", in various locations on Mallorca, Spain, including birds nesting at Parc Natural de s'Albufera de Mallorca. C. Pears spotted a Little Egret, race "garzetta", at Clonakilty, County Cork, Ireland, in August 2023. A. Sarok found Little Egrets, race "garzetta", in Vojvodina, Serbia, in the timeframe 2010-2024. A Little Egret, race "garzetta", was also spotted by us in Oman. Race "nigripes" We have found Little Egrets, race "nigripes" ("immaculata"), in Australia.

Photos

Race "garzetta"

ADULT

Sex unknown

BREEDING

Left: Frontal view of a Little Egret in breeding plumage
Right: Lateral view with, for comparison, a Great [White] Egret (photos courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Vojvodina, Serbia, dates unknown]

Frontal view of a Little Egret in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Parc Natural de s'Albufera de Mallorca, Mallorca, Spain, May 2023]

Frontal view of a Little Egret in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sapal Alhos Vedros, Tejo estuary, Portugal, January 2020]

Near-frontal view of a Little Egret in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2020]

Near-lateral view of a Little Egret in breeding plumage; note the yellow feet which are characteristic of nominate race "garzetta", and the nuchal plumes at the back of the head (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Padstow, Cornwall, England, September 2019]

Lateral view of a Little Egret in breeding plumage; note the yellow feet which are characteristic of nominate race "garzetta", and the nuchal plumes at the back of the head (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Padstow, Cornwall, England, September 2019]

Lateral view of a Little Egret in breeding plumage hunting from a rock platform (photo courtesy of M. Thomas)
[Mallorca, Spain, May 2017]

Lateral view of a Little Egret in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Canary Islands, March 2017]

Lateral view of a Little Egret in breeding plumage, different posture (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Canary Islands, March 2017]

Lateral view of a Little Egret in breeding plumage stalking its prey (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Canary Islands, March 2017]

Lateral view of a Little Egret in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of G. Normand)
[Fretin, 20 km South of Lille, Hauts-de-France, France, May 2020]

Lateral view of a Little Egret in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo Estuary Nature Reserve, Portugal, May 2018]

Lateral view of Little Egrets in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2019]

Lateral view of Little Egrets in breeding plumage, with a particularly impressive individual near the centre which looks like having plumes all over (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Little Egret in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Raia river, Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2022]

Near-dorsal view of a Little Egret in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Raia river, Mora, Evora, Portugal, November 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a Little Egret moulting into breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Ria de Aveiro, Aveiro, Centro, Portugal, February 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Little Egret moulting into non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Wadebridge, Cornwall, England, September 2019]

Dorsal view of a Little Egret in breeding plumage; this bird may have a misshapen bill (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo Estuary Nature Reserve, Portugal, April 2018]

Direct near-lateral comparison of a Little Egret in breeding plumage, front, with a juvenile(?) Eurasian Spoonbill
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Salinas da Fuseta, Olhao, Algarve, Portugal, November 2021]

Lateral view of a Little Egret in breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2018]

Lateral view of a Little Egret in breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, May 2020]

NON-BREEDING

Frontal view of a Little Egret in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Raia river, Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2020]

Frontal view of a Little Egret in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2019]

Near-frontal view of a Little Egret in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Raia river, Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2020]

Near-frontal view of a Little Egret in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Lisbon, Portugal, April 2018]

Near-lateral view of a Little Egret in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sao Jorge Island, Azores, November 2018]

Near-lateral view of a Little Egret in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sao Jorge Island, Azores, November 2018]

Near-lateral view of a Little Egret stalking prey in shallow water on rocks; prominently visible in this photo is the bird's dull-yellow foot (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Oristano, western Sardinia, Italy, June 2016]

Lateral view of a Little Egret moulting out of breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mequinenza, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, September 2019]

Lateral view of a Little Egret in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sao Jorge Island, Azores, November 2018]

Lateral view of a Little Egret hunting in shallow water on rocks (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Oristano, western Sardinia, Italy, June 2016]

Lateral view of a Little Egret eyeing its prey in shallow water on rocks (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Oristano, western Sardinia, Italy, June 2016]

Lateral view of a Little Egret in near non-breeding plumage, with only a few filamentary feathers left
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Wadebridge, Cornwall, England, September 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Little Egret in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Pico Island, Azores, November 2019]

Dorsal view of a Little Egret in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Pico Island, Azores, November 2019]

Near-frontal view of a Little Egret in non-breeding plumage in low flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil Dam, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2020]

Lateral view of a Little Egret in non-breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Ria de Alvor, Alvor, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

Lateral/ventral view of a Little Egret in non-breeding plumage in flight banking to land (photo courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Vojvodina, Serbia, date unknown]

Near-dorsal view of a Little Egret in non-breeding plumage banking sharply before landing (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo Estuary Nature Reserve, Portugal, October 2018]

Little Egrets in non-breeding plumage in comparison with Great [White] Egrets (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil, Alentejo, Portugal, August 2015]

Hard times for fish trapped in a stagnant pool of water: Little Egrets, Great [White] Egrets and Grey Herons gathered for an easy meal (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2015]

Race "nigripes"

Photos of Little Egrets, race "nigripes" ("immaculata"), were taken by us in Australia.

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal

Mobility: Partially migratory

Elementary unit: Solitary/pair/group

Little Egrets are colonial nesters, but don't hunt in packs. Part of the population in southern and western Europe is sedentary, the rest is migratory. In south-eastern Europe they are summer breeding migrants.

Demonstration of a Little Egret in breeding plumage of why birds usually face into the prevailing wind... (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Parc Natural de s'Albufera de Mallorca, Mallorca, Spain, May 2023]

Little Egrets in non-breeding plumage hunting in a bunch (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2014]

Little Egrets hunting in a bunch (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Morraceira island, Figueira da Foz, Mondego estuary, Portugal, January 2023]

Little Egrets can be seen strutting, even apparently dancing, in circles in shallow water when creating a circle of air bubbles to trap their intended prey (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, August 2019]

Little Egrets establishing the local pecking order (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, March 2020]

Food, Diet

All egrets and herons prey on aquatic creatures in fresh water or estuaries (fish, frogs, snakes or crustaceans).

Lateral view of a Little Egret carrying away its next meal, a crayfish (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, July 2019]

Lateral view of a Little Egret snapping up its prey, a fish (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Ribeira das Enguias, Alcochete, Setubal, Portugal, June 2023]

Near-dorsal view of a Little Egret striking its prey under water (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Wadebridge, Cornwall, England, September 2019]

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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