Little Egret
Egretta garzetta
Conservation Status
Least ConcernAves · Pelecaniformes · Ardeidae
About
The little egret is a species of small heron in the family Ardeidae. It is a white bird with a slender black beak, long black legs and, in the western race, yellow feet. As an aquatic bird, it feeds in shallow water and on land, consuming a variety of small creatures. It breeds colonially, often with other species of water birds, making a platform nest of sticks in a tree, bush or reed bed. A clutch of three to five bluish-green eggs is laid and incubated by both parents for about three weeks. The young fledge at about six weeks of age.
Fun Fact
Little Egrets were hunted nearly to extinction in the 19th century for their breeding plumes used in hat fashions, which sparked the birth of the modern conservation movement.
Quick Facts
Habitat
Australia and New Zealand
Diet
To be updated
Lifespan
To be updated
Threats
- Habitat Change
- Human Disturbance