Perch Supply
Herons and egrets (Ardeidae)

Great Egret

Ardea alba. Fish, frogs and small mammals speared in shallows.

Herons and egrets (Ardeidae)Great EgretArdea alba
Scientific name
Ardea alba
Length
37.4–40.9 in
Weight
35.3–52.9 oz
Nest
Stick platform high in trees, in mixed colonies
Entrance hole
Does not use nest boxes
Clutch
1–6 eggs
Incubation
23–26 days
Broods
1 per season

Identification

  • Tall, all-white heron
  • Yellow bill and black legs
  • Long lacy plumes in breeding season

Voice

A low, rasping croak.

Diet and feeding

Fish, frogs and small mammals speared in shallows.

What do great egrets eat? · Best feeder for great egrets

Great Egrets by state and province

RegionStatusNesting
AlabamaYear-round residentFebruary–June
ArkansasYear-round residentMarch–June
CaliforniaYear-round residentFebruary–June
ConnecticutSummer breederMarch–June
DelawareSummer breederMarch–June
FloridaYear-round residentFebruary–June
GeorgiaYear-round residentFebruary–June
IllinoisSummer breederMarch–June
IndianaSummer breederMarch–June
IowaSummer breederMarch–June
KansasSummer breederMarch–June
KentuckyYear-round residentMarch–June
LouisianaYear-round residentFebruary–June
MaineSummer breederApril–June
MarylandSummer breederMarch–June
MassachusettsSummer breederMarch–June
MichiganSummer breederMarch–June
MinnesotaSummer breederApril–June
MississippiYear-round residentFebruary–June
MissouriSummer breederMarch–June
NebraskaSummer breederMarch–June
New HampshireSummer breederApril–June
New JerseySummer breederMarch–June
New YorkSummer breederMarch–June
North CarolinaYear-round residentMarch–June
North DakotaSummer breederApril–June
OhioSummer breederMarch–June
OklahomaSummer breederMarch–June
OntarioSummer breederApril–June
OregonSummer breederMarch–June
PennsylvaniaSummer breederMarch–June
Rhode IslandSummer breederMarch–June
South CarolinaYear-round residentFebruary–June
South DakotaSummer breederMarch–June
TennesseeYear-round residentMarch–June
TexasYear-round residentFebruary–June
VermontSummer breederApril–June
VirginiaSummer breederMarch–June
WashingtonSummer breederMarch–June
West VirginiaSummer breederMarch–June
WisconsinSummer breederApril–June

Frequently asked

What do great egrets eat?

Fish, frogs and small mammals speared in shallows. At feeders: none — visits ponds with fish.

How big is a Great Egret?

37.4–40.9 in long and 35.3–52.9 oz.

Do great egrets use birdhouses?

No. Stick platform high in trees, in mixed colonies.

Sources

  1. Great Egret — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. Great Egret life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. Great Egret — Audubon Guide to North American Birds

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.