Waterbird Wednesday week 8 - Little Egret
The Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) is now a relatively common species across the UK, despite first successfully breeding here as recently as 1996. Numbers of this distinctive heron continue to rise in the country, with a breeding population of around 700 pairs that mainly nest in the south of the country. There is also a good wintering population of around 4'500 individuals. They feed on fish like other herons.
Identifictation
Little Egrets are a distinctive species, with a long dark bill, long legs and white plumage.
Adult summer
An adult bird in summer plumage has a mainly or completely dark bill, and dark legs with yellow feet. The lores are blue-grey but turn pinkish-red during courtship. They have long white plumes on the head.
Adult winter
An adult in winter is the same as in summer plumage but lack the plumes on the head.
Juvenile
A juvenile also has no head plumes, and the legs can appear greenish/grey. The bill is lighter near the base.
Similar species
Cattle Egret
Overall, a Cattle Egret is smaller, with shorter legs and bill in proportion.
Adult winter
In adult winter plumage, the bill is yellow and the feet are dark, not showing yellow.
Juvenile
In juvenile plumage, the bird is easiest to tell apart by size and bill shape. However, the bill starts to appear yellow quickly.
Great White Egret
Overall much larger and longer-legged. S-shaped neck.
Adult summer
Bill partly yellow. Lacks yellow feet and has long plumes ('aigrettes') on back and neck.
Immature/non-breeding
Mainly yellow bill and dark legs without yellow feet
In flight
In flight, a Little Egret's yellow feet are obvious. It's bill is long and dagger-like, and it has a small neck 'keel' (round bulge where the neck is tucked in). The legs project past the tail.
Cattle Egret
Bill much stouter, and short legs obviously dark. Small neck 'keel', with underparts often appearing flat without bulge.
Great White Egret
Obviously larger, with large neck 'keel' and very long legs.
