Great Egrets Are Lovely and Lethal

BirdNote^®
Great Egrets Are Lovely and Lethal
Written by Ariana Remmel

This is BirdNote.

Bedecked in elegant white feathers and a long slender neck, the Great Egret is a gorgeous bird. But don't let their stately demeanor fool you: Great Egrets are fierce predators. Just listen to that ferocious call!

[Great Egret calling ML23692051]

Standing over 3-feet tall, Great Egrets can be found wading through fresh and saltwater wetlands on every continent except Antarctica. They stand unnervingly still while scanning for fish, amphibians and small mammals — dealing a quick, lethal blow with their dagger-like bills. You may also spot them high overhead as they glide between their hunting grounds and favorite roosting spots.

[Great Egret calling ML134121]

During the breeding season, both males and females grow long frilly feathers called aigrettes, which is where they get their names. These luxurious plumes were once so prized that Great Egrets were nearly hunted to extinction in the late 1800s until conservationists banded together to outlaw their killing.

[Great Egret calling ML23692051]

Every Great Egret is an important reminder that our actions can make a difference in protecting birds.

For BirdNote, I'm Michael Stein.

This episode is dedicated to Adrienne Ottenberg and Bob Hartman, with love from BirdNote supporter Jane Curley.

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Senior Producer: Mark Bramhill
Producer: Sam Johnson
Managing Editor: Jazzi Johnson
Content Director: Jonese Franklin
Bird sounds provided by The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Great Egret ML23692051 recorded by Paul Marvin. Great Egret ML134121 recorded by Gerrit Vyn.
BirdNote’s theme was composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler.
© 2025 BirdNote February 2025
Narrator: Michael Stein

ID# GREG-02-2025-02-19     GREG-02

Reference:
https://abcbirds.org/bird/great-egret/#about  
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/great-egret