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.
