ODNR Division of Wildlife - A to Z Species Guide - Great Egret

Great Egret

This bird is the symbol of the National Audubon Society, which was formed to stop the slaughter of herons for their showy plumes. It is our second largest heron; only the great blue heron is bigger. The great egret is an Ohio Species of Concern that nests in the Western Basin of Lake Erie on West Sister Island NWR and Turning Point Island. West Sister makes up the largest colony in the U.S. Great Lakes and has been stable in recent years.

Great Egret

Ardea alba

At-a-Glance

• Peak breeding activity: mid-April

• Incubation period: 23 - 24 days

• Clutch Size: 3-4 average

• Young Fledge: 42-49 days after hatching

• Typical Foods: frogs, snakes, crayfish, fish, mice, crickets, and aquatic insects

Description
This heron is all white with a yellow bill and black legs. When in breeding plumage, it has lacy plumes on its back.

Habitat and Habits
Within Ohio, breeding great egrets have been largely confined to the western Lake Erie basin. Preferred habitat includes shallow water of marshes, ditches, wet fields, and river edges. The number of great egrets are increasing, and may turn up anywhere in the state, especially in late summer. Their vocalizations are a rapid, somewhat harshly metallic series of clucks and croaks.

Reproduction and Care of the Young
Great egrets normally nest in the tallest available vegetation. However, on islands where only shrubby vegetation is available, they have been found nesting on or near the ground. Egret nests are rather bulky stick platforms that may be used for several years. The first clutches are laid during the second half of April with most laid by mid-May. The first young hatch during the second half of May and early June and become independent by mid-July.