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Little Egret

Egretta garzettaOrder: CICONIIFORMESFamily: Bitterns, Herons and Egrets (Ardeidae)
Little Egret Head Illustration

Head

  • Bill Shape: Dagger
  • Eye Color: Variable shades of yellow.
  • Head Pattern: Crested or plumed
  • Crown Color: White
  • Forehead Color: White
  • Nape Color: White
  • Throat Color: White
  • Cere color: No Data
Little Egret Body Illustration

Body

  • Length Range: 56-66 cm (22-26 in)
  • Weight: 499 g (17.6 oz)
  • Size: Large (16 - 32 in)
  • Color Primary: White
  • Underparts: White
  • Upperparts: White
  • Back Pattern: Solid
  • Belly Pattern: Solid
  • Breast Pattern: Solid
Little Egret Flight Illustration

Flight

  • Flight Pattern: Slow deliberate wing beats.
  • Wingspan Range: 86-104 cm (34-41 in)
  • Wing Shape: Pointed-Wings
  • Tail Shape: Squared Tail
  • Tail Pattern: White
  • Upper Tail: White
  • Under Tail: White
  • Leg Color: Black with yellow feet.
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Family
Species Egretta garzetta
Length22 - 26 Inches
Wingspan34 - 41 Inches

Little Egret

Little Egret: Medium-sized, all white egret with plumes on head, breast, and back. Legs are black with yellow feet. Black bill, and yellow lores. Nonbreeding adult lacks head and back plumes, has gray lores, and shows yellow on lower legs. Difficult to distinguish from Snowy Egret. Flight is direct.

● Song: "croak"

● Foraging & Feeding: Little Egret: Feeds along shorelines, in wet or dry fields, and may often follow cattle. Eats a wide variety of insects, small fish, crustaceans, amphibians and other small animals.

● Breeding & nesting: Little Egret: Nests in colonies on ground or in trees. Lays five or six green blue eggs that both parents incubate for 21 to 25 days. Chicks make first flight when 40 to 45 days old.

● Similar species: Little Egret: Snowy Egret is virtually identical except that its yellow facial skin continues over the top of the bill instead of being interrupted by a small patch of white feathers.

Flight Pattern

Slow deliberate wing beats.
Little Egret Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Little Egret: Widespread in Africa, Asia, Europe, Indian and Southeast Asia, very rarely wanders to the north Atlantic states of North America.
BreedingColonial
PopulationRare to casual
MigrationNorthern birds migrate
Weight17.6 Ounces