LadyD Books: The Bird from Snowy River

great egret perched upon house roof: LadyD Books

I've heard folks say that an egret is like a small white heron. No matter what it's called, I just couldn't get over this beautiful bird landing on my garage! I think it's a common egret but not a snowy egret who has yellow feet, nor the great egret that grows lacy plumes in the breeding season. I think this one flew inland from the coast, although I would like to imagine that he's from Snowy River... but I've read and seen pictures of thousands breeding in Tunisia.

Cheers for the egret posing for this photo shoot!

Photos for Wild Bird Wednesday

Great Egret Description

The Great Egret is a large heron with all-white plumage. Standing up to 1 m (3.3 ft) tall, this species can measure 80 to 104 cm (31 to 41 in) in length and have a wingspan of 131 to 170 cm (52 to 67 in). Body mass can range from 700 to 1,500 g (1.5 to 3.3 lb), with an average of around 1,000 g (2.2 lb). It is thus only slightly smaller than the Great Blue or Grey Heron (A. cinerea). Apart from size, the Great Egret can be distinguished from other white egrets by its yellow bill and black legs and feet, though the bill may become darker and the lower legs lighter in the breeding season. In breeding plumage, delicate ornamental feathers are borne on the back. Males and females are identical in appearance; juveniles look like non-breeding adults. Differentiated from the Intermediate Egret (Mesophoyx intermedius) by the gape, which extends well beyond the back of the eye in case of the Great Egret, but ends just behind the eye in case of the Intermediate Egret.
It has a slow flight, with its neck retracted. This is characteristic of herons and bitterns, and distinguishes them from storks, cranes, ibises, and spoonbills, which extend their necks in flight.

The Great Egret is not normally a vocal bird; at breeding colonies, however, it often gives a loud croaking cuk cuk cuk.

Egret on Wikipedia

An egret /ˈiːɡrət/ is any of several herons, most of which are white or buff, and several of which develop fine plumes (usually milky white) during the breeding season. Many egrets are members of the genera Egretta or Ardea which also contain other species named as herons rather than egrets. The distinction between a heron and an egret is rather vague, and depends more on appearance than biology. The word "egret" comes from the French word "aigrette" that means both "silver heron" and "brush," referring to the long filamentous feathers that seem to cascade down an egret's back during the breeding season.

Several of the egrets have been reclassified from one genus to another in recent years: the Great Egret, for example, has been classified as a member of either Casmerodius, Egretta or Ardea.
In the 19th and early part of the 20th century, some of the world's egret species were endangered by relentless plume hunting, since hat makers in Europe and the United States demanded large numbers of egret plumes, leading to breeding birds being killed in many places around the world.
Several Egretta species, including the Eastern Reef Egret, the Reddish Egret and the Western Reef Egret have two distinct colours, one of which is entirely white. Little Blue Heron has all-white juvenile plumage.

Birds of the Bible

Leviticus 11:19

Children's Book Recommendations

An Egret's Day
Last Egret: The Adventures of Charlie Pierce
SNOWY The Story of an Egret
Egrets on a Snowy Bank: Blank Book Handstitched (Tao Handstitched Series)

Have you seen an egret in your area?