The little egret is a small, all-white heron with black legs, a black bill, and bright yellow feet. It is a highly social bird found in wetland habitats across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Australia, and its diet mainly consists of fish, crustaceans, and other small aquatic animals. During breeding season, they grow long, decorative plumes on their head and back.
Physical characteristics and identification
Size: They are approximately 60 cm long with a wingspan of about 92 cm.
Plumage: Their most distinguishing feature is their pure white plumage, which is complemented by bright yellow feet, a black bill, and yellow facial skin.
Breeding plumes: During the breeding season, they develop long, elegant plumes on their crest, back, and chest.
Vocalization: They are vocal birds, making a harsh, croaking sound, especially during the breeding season.
Diet and hunting
Main diet: The little egret's diet is primarily fish, but they also eat crustaceans, amphibians, insects, and spiders.
Hunting technique: They are graceful hunters that stalk prey in shallow water, sometimes using their feet to stir up sediment and scare fish out into the open before striking.
Opportunistic feeding: They will also scavenge and may take advantage of other animals or humans to find food.
Behavior and habitat
Habitat: They are found in a wide variety of wetland habitats, from coastal areas and estuaries to inland lakes and rivers, and even urban streams.
Social behavior: Little egrets are social and often fly in flocks, although they can be territorial when feeding. They typically nest in large, social colonies, sometimes with other waterbird species.
Nesting: They build twig-platform nests in trees, bushes, or reedbeds and both parents share incubation and feeding duties.
History and range
Historical persecution: The little egret was hunted to near extinction in the 19th century for its beautiful plumes, which were used in fashion and were once considered more valuable than gold.
Range expansion: Populations have recovered, and a range expansion into Europe led to them becoming a common breeding species in the UK starting in the late 1990s. They are now found across much of southern England and Wales, and their range continues to expand.
Global distribution: The species is widespread, with breeding populations in Europe, Asia, and Africa, and is a common visitor in parts of Australia.
Little egrets – like many water birds – are opportunists. Eating anything that fits in their bill, little egrets feast on fish, insects, amphibians and even small mammals and other birds, like ducklings. They catch their prey on land and in shallow water, often running or shuffling their feet to disturb fish.
