The Little Egret is a small, all-white egret, similar in shape but half the size of a Grey Heron.
Little Egrets are elegant, snow-white wading birds with long legs and a long S-shaped neck. Their straight, dagger-like bill is black, and their eyes are yellow. These birds have black legs with characteristic yellow feet, although this feature is often hidden under the water.
Female Little Egrets are smaller than their male counterparts but otherwise similar. In the breeding season, both sexes develop long paired plumes on the nape of the neck and long feathers on the breast and shoulders.
Juveniles appear similar to non-breeding adults but have dull greenish bills and legs and lack yellow feet.
Little Egrets in the UK are most likely to be confused with another all-white species, the Great White Egret (Ardea alba). However, that species is much taller and larger, with a yellow bill and yellow upper legs.
The Little Egret may appear large in flight or when standing tall with a fully extended neck, but they can look dramatically smaller when hunched at rest.
Adult Little Egrets have a body length of 55 to 65 centimetres. They are upright birds with long legs and long necks. These features allow them to walk in the water and spear their prey.
Little Egrets weigh just 350 to 550 grams, similar to a Woodpigeon.
The Little Egret has a wingspan of 88 to 95 cm.
Little Egrets are predators that search for live prey in the water and on land. They do most of their hunting in shallow fresh and saltwater environments, usually by stalking through the water.
They frequently shuffle their yellow feet to disturb their quarry from cover and may half-run-half-fly in pursuit of prey in the shallows.
Little Egret prey items:
Small fish
Frogs
Dragonflies, crickets, and other insects
Small crustaceans
Snails, worms, and other invertebrates
Small birds
Rodents
Baby Little Egrets are fed the regurgitated prey of their parents. They will eat from the nest floor or directly from their parent’s bill.
There was a time when seeing a Little Egret in the UK was cause for celebration, but today they are much easier to spot. Read on to learn where you might find these elegant waterbirds.
Little Egrets are most at home in aquatic and coastal marine environments like estuaries, rocky shores, rivers, lakes, ponds and marshes. They will also feed in flooded terrestrial environments like farmlands.
Little Egrets are a very widespread species, occurring across much of Europe, Southern Asia, Australia, and Africa. In the UK, they are most common in Wales and the southeast coasts of England, although they are spreading inland and further north as far as Scotland.
Little Egrets spend most of their time walking on the ground or through shallow water. They also perch and roost in trees.
Little Egrets remain uncommon over much of the United Kingdom, although they are locally common in some areas. Their population is increasing, and their range has been expanding since they recolonised the British Isles in the 1980s.
Look for Little Egrets in any shallow water environment, particularly in the south and East of England. Norfolk is a popular place for birdwatchers to go and watch them in their natural habitat.
Humans have proved to be the greatest threat to the Little Egret, although these birds are a relatively rare example of a species making a comeback in the modern era.
Little Egrets live for an average of five years, although some individuals have survived for over twenty years.
Adult Little Egrets have few predators, although birds like harriers, Sparrowhawks, gulls, and crows may take eggs and chicks.
Little Egrets in the UK are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
Little Egrets are not endangered. Their population is increasing, and they are assessed as a ‘Least Concern’ species according to the IUCN. In the UK, these birds have a green conservation status and are increasing after disappearing from the region centuries ago.
Little Egrets began breeding in the UK in 1996 after a very long absence. Continue reading to learn more about their nesting behaviours in the UK.
Little Egrets nest in colonies, frequently in the company of the larger Grey Heron. These colonies are often atop large trees, although they may also nest in reedbeds or bushes. Both adults work together to build a simple platform of twigs.
Little Egrets lay one to seven blue-green eggs, each measuring approximately 46 millimetres long and 34 millimetres wide.
It is unknown whether Little Egrets form long-lasting pair bonds, although they are monogamous during each breeding season.
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