Features& Description
The Great Egret, Latin for “Egretta alba”, is an all-white wader with a 1.70 m wingspan and 1 m height.
It is about the same size as the Ashy Heron, but with longer legs and neck. It has a long yellow beak most of the year, which becomes almost entirely black in the breeding season.
It flies with its neck bent in a Z-shape, often resting on the edge of ponds with its legs in the water and its head tucked into its shoulders. Its flight is slow, often with arched wings and outstretched dark legs.
Habitat(Biotope)
The Great Egret lives in colonies on shallow marshy lakes, usually in reed beds surrounded by vegetation.
On the lake, it is present in large numbers at the edge of the remaining pools of water in winter.
Behavior& habits
The Great Egret is sometimes a solitary wader, but can be found in very large groups whatever the season.
Preferring ponds and lakeshores, it uses its beak like a dagger to harpoon the fish and crustaceans it hunts all day long.
It can also be seen in meadows and meadows where it hunts voles and small mammals.
With its large 4th finger, it can perch in trees like the Grey Heron.
Reproductionand immature
The Great Egret often nests colonially up to 15 m high in trees.
The female lays 4 to 5 eggs for an incubation period of 25 days.
After a fortnight in the nest, the young fledge after 40 days.
Cryor Voice
The Great Egret is silent outside its colonies, where it emits a muffled, rolled “kr-hr-hr-hra” croak.
Great Egret
Great Egret
