The Little Egret, a white jewel of the wetlands, recognizable by its elegance and its famous 'golden slippers'.
The White Elegance of Wetlands
The Little Egret is a wader of incomparable grace, its slender white silhouette brightening aquatic landscapes. This bird, a member of the heron family, is a symbol of the beauty of wetlands across Europe, Africa, and Asia. Narrowly saved from extinction in the early 20th century, when it was hunted for the ornamental plumes of its breeding display, it has since made a remarkable comeback. Unlike its cousin the Cattle Egret, which prefers grasslands, the Little Egret is intimately tied to water, where it employs fascinating hunting techniques that make it a captivating sight for any nature observer.
Our Ornithologist's Tip
By the Les-Oiseaux.com team, published on August 14, 2025.
My personal tip: To be certain you're identifying a Little Egret, focus on its feet. Even from a distance, the contrast between its long black legs and bright yellow toes is often clearly visible. Watch it hunting in shallow water: you'll often see it actively using its feet to stir up prey, a typical and fascinating behavior to observe.
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Identifying the Little Egret: Key Features
The Little Egret is a medium-sized heron, measuring between 55 and 65 cm in length with a wingspan of 88 to 104 cm. Its silhouette is slender and elegant, with a long S-shaped neck.
Plumage: Entirely pure white throughout the year. During the breeding season, it develops long, fine ornamental plumes: two on the nape, and others on the breast and back, which gave it its name.
Bill: Slender, dagger-like, and entirely black. The lores (the area between the bill and the eye) can take on a grayish-blue hue.
Sexual Dimorphism: Males and females are identical in appearance. Juveniles resemble adults in non-breeding plumage but have duller, greenish hues on their bill and legs.
Legs and Feet: This is the most distinctive identification feature. The legs (tarsi) are black, contrasting sharply with the feet (toes), which are a bright yellow.
Breeding plumage is distinguished by long ornamental plumes on the head, breast, and back.
Not to be confused with...
African Sacred Ibis
Also has a white body, but is easily recognized by its featherless black head and neck, and its long, downward-curved black bill.
The Little Egret is a mostly silent bird, especially when hunting. Its vocalizations are primarily heard during social interactions, particularly in noisy nesting colonies, or when disturbed. Its most common call is a harsh, dry croak, transcribed as "kraah" or "kgarrk."
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Behavior: An Agile Hunter
The Little Egret is an active, visual hunter. It forages mainly in shallow water, employing various strategies: it may stand motionless in ambush, walk slowly, or suddenly dash after prey. A characteristic technique involves stirring the mud with its yellow feet to flush out small fish, crustaceans, amphibians, and insects hiding there.
Its diet is varied, consisting of small fish, amphibians, mollusks, crustaceans, aquatic insects, spiders, and worms. Although often solitary or in loose small groups while feeding, it is very gregarious for nesting and roosting, forming large communal nighttime roosts.
Breeding occurs in colonies, often alongside other heron species. The nest, a platform of twigs and reeds, is built in trees, bushes, or reed beds, always near water. The female lays 3 to 5 greenish-blue eggs. Both parents take turns incubating for 21 to 25 days, then feed the young, which can fly after about five weeks.
Habitat and Distribution
The Little Egret is an almost cosmopolitan species, found in the temperate and warm regions of Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Northern populations are migratory, wintering further south, while those in warmer regions are resident.
It is tied to wetlands, whether freshwater, brackish, or saltwater. It is frequently found in estuaries, coastal lagoons, marshes, rice paddies, as well as along lakes and rivers. Its preferred habitat consists of shallow bodies of water that allow it to hunt effectively.
Distribution Map
Conservation Status
The Little Egret is listed as a species of "Least Concern" (LC) on the IUCN Red List. After nearly being driven to extinction in the early 20th century due to intensive hunting for its plumes, the species is now protected, and its populations have experienced a strong increase and an expansion of their range.
Currently, the main threat to the species is the degradation and loss of its wetland habitat due to drainage, urbanization, and pollution. The protection of these ecosystems is therefore essential to ensure its long-term future.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the Little Egret
How can you easily recognize a Little Egret?
The most reliable feature for identifying the Little Egret is the combination of its slender, all-black bill, long black legs, and bright yellow feet, which look like "yellow socks." These characteristics distinguish it from other white herons.
Why did the Little Egret almost disappear?
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Little Egret was hunted intensively for its beautiful breeding plumes, called "aigrettes," which were highly prized for decorating ladies' hats. This hunting brought the species to the brink of extinction before conservation measures allowed its populations to recover.
Where can you see the Little Egret?
The Little Egret inhabits a wide variety of shallow wetlands. It can be found along coasts, in estuaries, lagoons, and marshes, as well as inland along rivers, lakes, and in rice paddies.
Does the Little Egret have a special hunting technique?
Yes, it uses several techniques. One of the most remarkable involves stirring the water or mud with its yellow feet to startle and flush out small fish and invertebrates hiding there, before catching them with a swift jab of its bill.
