Breeding birds: 660-740 nests
Wintering birds: 4,500
Family: Bitterns, Herons, And Egrets
In breeding plumage, the little egret has a white body adorned with long, delicate feathers on the upper breast and recurved scapular feathers. Its face is pale blue-grey with red lores, and two long, fine white feathers extend from the back of the crown to the nape and mid-neck.
The thin, pointed bill is black on the upper mandible and grey on the lower. Its eyes are yellow, while the legs are black with vibrant orange or red feet.
Outside of the breeding season, the little egret loses the long body feathers, and its lores turn grey. The bill remains black, the eyes are pale yellow, the legs are black, and the feet are yellow. Males and females appear similar.
The juvenile little egret resembles the non-breeding adult, but can be distinguished by its duller, greenish bill and greenish-grey legs.
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The little egret breeds between March and June, producing one brood per season. It is monogamous and nests in loose colonies alongside other species of its family in marshes, rivers, wetlands, and estuaries. Nests are built on the ground, in reedbeds, or occasionally in trees or bushes. The male gathers nesting materials, which the female uses to construct a flimsy platform of sticks and reed stems.
The clutch typically consists of 3–4 smooth, pale greenish-blue eggs. Both parents share incubation duties over 21–25 days, performing ritualised bowing displays with fluffed plumage and vocal calls when switching turns.
Newly hatched chicks are covered in white down and have pink bills and legs that quickly darken to blue-grey. At around three weeks old, the chicks begin climbing out of the nest. By five weeks, they can fly and start following adults to learn how to feed themselves. Fledging occurs about 40–45 days after hatching, though the young continue to roost at the nesting colony for some time. They reach sexual maturity at 2 years.
The little egret is an opportunistic feeder, preying on a variety of food including fish, aquatic insects, crustaceans, amphibians, molluscs, worms, reptiles, and small birds.
It hunts by stalking prey in shallow water, often running or kicking its feet to flush them out. Alternatively, it may stand motionless, patiently watching and waiting before striking. On land, it chases prey and takes advantage of insects disturbed by livestock.
Prey is swallowed whole, and any indigestible parts, such as bones, claws, and feathers, are later regurgitated as pellets.
Little egrets can be seen all year round in the UK. Numbers increase during autumn and winter with birds arriving from continental Europe.
Look out for them along the south and east coasts of England and Wales in estuaries and on wetlands. They are becoming increasingly common inland.
Little egrets were a common sight in the UK during the medieval period. At a grand banquet held at Cawood Castle in 1465 to celebrate George Neville’s enthronement as Archbishop of York, 1,000 egrets were served. They were also included on the menu at King Henry VI’s Coronation feast in 1429.
