Great Egret
|
Common name: Great Egret
Class: Aves
Order: Ciconiiformes
Family: Ardeidae
Genus: Ardea
Species: Ardea alba |
photo M. Noonan |
Taxonomy/ Description
Great Egrets are less then 1 meter long from bill to
tail, 1 meter tall, have a wingspan of about 1.5 meters,
and weigh about 912 to 1140 grams. On average, males are
larger than females. Great egrets are completely white
with a long yellow bill and dark gray legs. During
flight their neck is usually in an “S” shaped curve.
They are very elegant birds with plumage resembling
lace.
photo M. Noonan
Habitat/ Diet
Great egrets are found in North America as far south
as Texas, the Gulf coast states, and Florida up the
Atlantic coast to Maine and southern Canada, and west to
the Great Lakes. The ideal location for great egrets is
near any form of water; streams, lakes, ponds, mud
flats, saltwater and freshwater marshes are inhabited by
this beautiful bird. Wooded swamps and wetlands are the
preferred location for great egrets.
Great egrets usually feed on smaller aquatic and
terrestrial insects and vertebrates. Wading slowly
through the water, they are extremely successful at
striking and catching fish or insects. Studies found
that, standing still, great egrets were able to ingest
more prey of intermediate size than if they moved
around. This suggests that their goal is not to catch
the largest quantity of food, but to catch high quality
food.
photo M. Noonan
Behavior/
Reproduction
Great egrets are very ground- oriented when it comes
to courtship, nesting and feeding. At dusk, great egrets
gather from surrounding areas to form communal roosts.
Post-breeding dispersal is very common among great
egrets. After the young hatch, they accompany the adults
on long journeys. Many heron species rob other species
in order to obtain more food. Great egrets steal a very
high percentage of their food from other, smaller
herons. They also fight for food within their own brood.
It has been found that great egrets are highly
aggressive in many situations even when food is not
limited.
Great egrets are seasonally monogamous animals. Male
egrets are responsible for selecting a territory and
performing a series of rituals in order to attract a
female. Mating occurs within the males’ territory.
Typically, great egret nests are built with other heron
nests in a colony in wetlands and wooded swamps. Nests
are a flimsy platform constructed of sticks, twigs, and
stems built as high as possible. Great egret eggs are a
pale greenish blue, and are incubated by both the male
and female for about 23 to 24 days. The young usually
fledge 2-3 weeks after hatching. Great egrets are
capable of reproducing after two years and raise one
brood per year. The breeding season begins mid-April.
Where to see them in WNY
One good place to find the Great egret is on the
Swallow Hollow Trail at the Iroquois National Wildlife
Refuge. From the parking lot, take the trail heading to
the left. Be sure to begin looking once you reach the
earthen dike; emergent marshes like this one are great
habitats for these birds. |