Mangoverde :: World Bird Guide :: Herons, Egrets and Bitterns :: Great Egret

Great Egret Ardea alba

Described by: Linnaeus (1758)
Alternate common name(s): Great White Egret, Greater Egret, Large Egret, Common Egret, American Egret, White Egret, Large Egret, White Heron, Great White Heron
Old scientific name(s): Casmerodius albus, Egretta alba

Photographs

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Range

Cosmopolitan;
Fragmented distribution with many populations;
(1) Breeds in s. Czechoslovakia, e. Austria (Neusiedlersee), Hungary (Hortobagy National Park), Yugoslavia, Albania, Greece, Romania, Turkey n. to Ukraine, s. Russia (from n. Black Sea in lower Volga River and lower Ural River) n. to Kazakhstan (Lake Balkhash) and Kirghiz, nw. China, Mongolia, se. Siberia in Transbaicalia, s. Ussuriland, s. Amurland, n. Japan. Disperses to s. Europe, North Africa, Israel, Iraq, Iran, e. Arabia, Oman.
(2) Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh to e. China (Manchuria), Taiwan, Korea and s. Japan, s. Vietnam in the Mekong Delta, Philippines, Sulawesi, Moluccas New Guinea to Solomon Is. (Bougainville, Rennell), Australia from sw. to n. Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria to c. South Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand (South Island near Okarito).
(3) Africa s. of the Sahara from s. Mauritania, Senegambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Ghana, s. Mali, se. Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Central African Republic, n. Ethiopia, Kenya (regularly at Garsen and Kisumu), Rwanda, Tanzania, Malawi, Angola, Zambia, Namibia, n. Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Madagascar and Comoro Is. (Moheli Is.).
(4) S. Canada and the United States from s. Oregon, s. Idaho, se. Saskatchewan, sw. Manitoba, c. Minnesota, s. Ontario, New York and New England s. to Mexico, West Indies, through Central America (Belize in the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary) and South America (Brazil in Bahia, Chapada Diamantina, and Parana, Rio Iguazu) including the Galapagos and Trinidad to s. Chile (Straits of Magellan) and s. Argentina (Santa Cruz).
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North America n. of Mexican border
Summer: in the w. from s. ORG, c. and s. CAL to sw. ARZ and in the e. from c. TEX, c. OKA, e. KAN to LOU, ARK, MOU, IWA, s. MIN, w. WIS, w. and s. ILL, sw. IND, w. KTY, w. TEN, w. and s. MIS, s. ALA, FLA, s. and e. GEO, e. SCA, e. NCA, e. VIR, e. MYD, DEL, s. and e. NJY and s. NYK (Long Island);
Winter: in the w. from sw. ORG, w. CAL to w. ARZ and in the e. from e. TEX to s. LOU, s. MIS, s. ALA, FLA, s. GEO, e. SCA, e. NCA, ex. e. VIR, e. MYD, e. DEL and ex. se. NJY;
Disperses n. in the late summer to s. Canada.

Videos

Yatsu Higata Nature Observation Center, Chiba, Japan - May 17, 2001 Source: William Hull
Description: Bird is walking on tidal flat.

Yatsu Higata Nature Observation Center, Chiba, Japan - Feb 16, 2002 Source: William Hull
Description: Bird is walking on tidal flat.

Sounds

Location unknown - Date unknown Source: Massaciuccolis Oasis

Location unknown - Date unknown Source: Naturesongs.com

Location unknown - Date unknown Source: Biological Research Information Center, BRIC of Korea

Location unknown - Date unknown Source: ETI BioInformatics

References

Clements, James F. Birds of the World: A Checklist. Vista, CA: Ibis Publishing Company, 2000.

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