Virginia · Summer breeder

Great Egrets in Virginia

When great egrets are present in Virginia, when they nest, which native Virginia plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5b–8a yard.

Herons and egrets (Ardeidae)Great EgretArdea alba

Status in Virginia: Summer breeder
Nesting window: March–June
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 5b–8a

When to expect great egrets in Virginia

Great Egrets are summer residents in Virginia, arriving shortly before nesting begins in March and leaving after the young are independent.

Humid subtropical in the east, cooler and snowier in the Blue Ridge and Allegheny highlands.

Nesting in Virginia

Across Virginia, great egrets typically nest from March–June. Plan around that window: February for setup, June for clean-out.

Warm, humid summers; House Wrens and hummingbirds breed statewide.

Great Egrets don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as flowering dogwood, spicebush, serviceberry for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.

Native Virginia plants that attract great egrets

Of the regional native plants we track for Virginia, these 8 provide food or cover great egrets use:

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida · Tree

Fall fruit.

Spicebush

Lindera benzoin · Shrub

High-fat red berries and caterpillar host.

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.

White oak

Quercus alba · Tree

Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.

Black cherry

Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

American elderberry

Sambucus canadensis · Shrub

Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.

Arrowwood viburnum

Viburnum dentatum · Shrub

Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.

New England aster

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae · Perennial

Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.

Feeding great egrets through the Virginia year

Top foods: None — visits ponds with fish.
In Virginia's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.

Full diet breakdown for great egrets · Best feeder for great egrets

Frequently asked

Are great egrets in Virginia year-round?

No. Great Egrets are summer breeders in Virginia and leave for the winter.

When do great egrets nest in Virginia?

Nesting in Virginia typically runs March–June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 1–6 eggs, incubated for 23–26 days.

What native plants attract great egrets in Virginia?

Flowering dogwood, Spicebush, Serviceberry, White oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum, New England aster are native plants in Virginia that provide food or cover for great egrets.

Other backyard birds in Virginia

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee Carolina Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Blue Jay House Finch Purple Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Carolina Wren Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown-headed Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pine Siskin Indigo Bunting Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Pine Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Eurasian Collared-Dove American Crow Common Raven Cooper's Hawk Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Barred Owl Great Horned Owl American Kestrel Wood Duck Wild Turkey Northern Bobwhite Mallard Great Blue Heron Belted Kingfisher Scarlet Tanager Eastern Meadowlark Brown-headed Cowbird Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Winter Wren Red Crossbill Field Sparrow Gray Catbird Lark Sparrow Hooded Merganser Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Black-and-white Warbler Yellow-throated Warbler Prothonotary Warbler Ovenbird Yellow-breasted Chat Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo White-eyed Vireo Eastern Wood-Pewee Cliff Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Bank Swallow Common Nighthawk Eastern Whip-poor-will Canada Goose American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper American Woodcock Green Heron Black-crowned Night Heron Turkey Vulture Black Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Red-shouldered Hawk Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Barn Owl Savannah Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Horned Lark Blue Grosbeak White-winged Crossbill Brown-headed Nuthatch Yellow-billed Cuckoo Rusty Blackbird Rock Pigeon

Sources

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.