Great Egret

Casmerodius albus

The great egret is a wading bird that is all white in color. Adults have:

• A long, spear-like yellow bill.
• Black legs and feet.
• Breeding plumes on the breast and tail.

Great egrets grow to about 39 inches tall with an average wingspan of 55 inches.

Where does the great egret live?

Great egrets are found in the Chesapeake Bay region from spring through fall along:

• Fresh and saltwater marshes and ponds
• Mud flats
• Tidal wetlands and shallows

What does the great egret eat?

Great egrets feed mostly on small fish, amphibians, and aquatic insects and invertebrates. They hunt by wading in the shallows, leaning their neck forward and silently stalking their prey.

What does the great egret sound like?

The great egret's call is a low, hoarse croak or kuk-kuk-kuk.

Where does the great egret nest and breed?

Great egrets are colonial nesters and are often found with other egrets, herons and ibises. One of the largest breeding colonies in the Chesapeake Bay region is in Canoe Neck Creek in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

• Great egrets usually begin arriving at their breeding colonies in mid-March; new breeders may continue to arrive into May.
• The peak of egg-laying occurs from early April to mid-June. The average egret clutch size is four, but can vary from three to five.
• The incubation period lasts about 24 to 25 days. Young egrets fledge about six weeks after hatching.
• Most adults leave their breeding colonies from late August through mid-October.

Other facts about the great egret:

• The great egret is the largest of three species of egrets that live in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
• Great egrets have slow, heavy wingbeats that push the birds up and down.