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5

Great [White] Egret (Ardea alba) Alternate name(s): "Egret*", "Large Egret", "White Egret", "Eastern Great Egret", "White Crane*" Size: 0.85-1.05 m; wing span 1.45-1.70 m Weight: 0.7-1.5 kg (1.0 kg average)

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Similar species

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

Physical description Click here for a physical description Great Egrets are the tallest of all white egrets. Their plumage is all-white, with long scapular plumes during the breeding season that are absent in eclipse. The long, straight bill, which is yellow in eclipse, turns darker, with a turquoise base, in the breeding season. The long legs are dark-yellow at top and darken to near-black towards the feet. Great Egrets have a particularly pronounced kink in their long necks, which distinguishes them from other species of egrets.

Taxonomy, classification See Great Egret at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed based on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to the ebird.org website. The global distribution of the Great (White) Egret is available HERE . There are four races of Great (White) Egrets, which are a global sedentary species. Race "alba" is found in Europe and central Asia, race "melanorynchos" in Africa, race "egretta" in the Americas and race "modesta" in India, South-east Asia, Australia and Oceania. Great Egrets, nominate race "alba", are found all year round from northern Italy, along the Adriatic coastline via Greece into the south-western half of Turkey. In the breeding season they expand their range deep into mid-latitude central Asia. Part of the population winters in France, others along the northern African coastline, others from Kurdistan via Iraq and Iran into Pakistan and northern India. Part of this population also makes it to the northern tip of the Arabian peninsula and the northern coastline of Oman. Great Egrets are found in the shallows of various kinds of wetlands, including ephemeral wetlands such as flooded grassland, and in estuaries and intertidal wetlands and mudflats.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "alba" We first spotted a Great [White] Egret, race "alba", in Oman near a number of water puddles in an otherwise dry riverbed (wadi) in Qurm, near Muscat, Oman, in December 2009. Race "modesta" We have found Great Egrets, race "modesta", in Australia.

Photos

Race "alba"

ADULT

Sex unknown

NON-BREEDING

Distant frontal view of a Great [White] Egret (back left) and a Little Egret (front right)
[Qurm, December 2009]

Lateral view of a Great [White] Egret in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of S. Kirkby)

Race "modesta"

Photos of race "modesta" were obtained in Australia.

Food, Diet

All egrets and herons prey on aquatic creatures in fresh water or estuaries (fish, frogs, snakes or crustaceans). Great [White] Egrets will take any of those.

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

We will try to replace this poor recording with a better one as soon as possible.

gregret_20190722.m4a	(NW NSW)	Alarm call (human)	© MD
gregret_20150327.mp3	(N NSW)	Warning/departure	© MD
gregret_20170626.m4a	(NW NSW)	? (arrival)	© MD

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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