Least Concern Birds

Great Egret

Ardea alba

Great Egret is a large white wetland bird with a yellow bill, black legs, and graceful breeding plumes.

Scientific name	Ardea alba
Swahili name	Korongo Mweupe Mkubwa
Conservation status	Least Concern
Class	Aves
Order	Ciconiiformes
Family	Ardeidae
Size	Body length about 80-104 cm, wingspan about 130-170 cm; weight about 700-1500 g; sexes look similar, males usually slightly larger

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How to identify

Entire plumage white; large, slender body with long S-shaped neck; long yellow bill that may darken in breeding season; legs and feet mostly black; fluffy ornamental plumes on head, back, and shoulders during breeding season

Habitat

Freshwater and saltwater wetlands, lakes, rivers, marshes, shallow bays, lagoons, estuaries, rice fields, and waterside grasslands

Diet

Carnivorous, mainly eating fish, but also frogs, insects, crustaceans, small reptiles, small mammals, and other aquatic animals

When it is active

Diurnal, often foraging in shallow water during early morning and evening

Where it lives

Widely distributed in temperate and tropical wetlands of Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania; in Africa it occurs in Kenya and wetlands around the Maasai Mara

How to spot it

Observe quietly at wetlands, lake edges, estuaries, and shallow grassy waters at dawn or dusk; note its larger size, yellow bill, black legs, and breeding plumes

Photography tips

Use a telephoto lens in natural dawn or dusk light; shoot from low angles to emphasize the tall body and reflection; in breeding season, focus on fluffy back and head plumes, yellow bill, and black legs

Threats

Wetland loss and degradation, water pollution, human disturbance, and historical hunting for ornamental plumes; current global population is generally stable

Similar species

Little Egret is smaller, with a black bill and often yellow feet; Intermediate Egret is intermediate in size; Grey Heron is grey rather than all white

📖 how to spot the great egret on safari