GREAT EGRET

(214*)                    GREAT EGRET               Ardea alba

USA                2

The great egret, also known as the common egret, large egret, or (in the Old World) great white egret or great white heron, is a large, widely distributed egret. The four subspecies are found in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and southern Europe. 

EASTERN CATTLE EGRET

Photographed on the outskirts of Siem Reap, Cambodia, November 2023

 (*  216)                EASTERN CATTLE EGRET               Bubulcus coromandus

CAMBODIA                 52

Found in grasslands and pastures as well as nearby wetlands such as rice paddies; seeks company of cattle or buffalo feeding on the insects they disturb. 50-55 cm. Originally native to parts of Asia, Africa, and Europe, it has undergone a rapid expansion in its distribution and successfully colonised much of the rest of the world in the last century. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Bubulcus, although some authorities regard its two subspecies as full species, the western cattle egret and the eastern cattle egret. 

GREAT EGRET

 

Photographed at Kampong Phluk Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia, November 2023

(* 214)              GREAT EGRET                    Ardea alba

CAMBODIA                 39

Migrant to coastal mudflats, mangroves, estuaries, water bodies with well-vegetated fringes and occasionally wet grasslands. 91 cm. Distribution: widespread across much of Americas, Eurasia, Africa and Australia; most northern populations migrate to winter in the tropics.

EASTERN CATTLE EGRET

Photographed at Westport, South Island, New Zealand, April, 2019

(*  216)                 EASTERN CATTLE EGRET                Ardea ibis or Bubulcus coromandus

NEW ZEALAND                 117

Uncommon Australian migrant. Usually associated with livestock, especially cattle, in damp pasture. May return to same farms for autumn and winter year after year.

WHITE HERON

Photographed at Miranda, June 2017

(*   241)                WHITE HERON                Ardea modesta

NEW ZEALAND                54

Known in Australia as Great Egret. Found in freshwater wetlands and estuaries, occasionally wet pastures. 92 cm. Very rare native in New Zealand, about 50 pairs breeding at Okarito and the disperse throughout mainland.

LITTLE EGRET

Photographed on Langkawi, Malaysia, April 2017

(*   558)                LITTLE EGRET               Egretta garzetta     

MALAYSIA              59

Found in both natural and man-made wetlands. 55-65 cm. Ranges across Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia. Mainly passage migrant and winter visitor to Malaysia, scattered records of breeding.

GREAT EGRET

Photographed on Langkawi, April 2017

(*   241)                  GREAT EGRET              Ardea alba

MALAYSIA                    51

Found in wide variety of natural and man-made wetlands. 85-100 cm. Mostly migrants in Peninsula Malaysia, a small breeding population.

EASTERN CATTLE EGRET

Photographed in Kuala Lumpa, March 2017

(*  216)                EASTERN CATTLE EGRET               Bubulcus coromandus

MALAYSIA                 5

Found in grasslands and pastures as well as nearby wetlands such as rice paddies and former tim mine pools; seeks company of cattle or buffalo feeding on the insects they disturb. 50-55 cm. Near global distribution; mostly a migrant to Peninsula Malaysia, Singapore, Sabah, and Sarawak.

GREAT EGRET

Subspecies modestus, photographed March 2017

(*  214)                    GREAT EGRET                Casmerodius albus

SRI LANKA                    67

Found on the margins of lagoons, tanks, paddy fields and marshes. 65-72 cm. Fairly common breeding resident in lowlands, and occasionally ascends to hills.

LITTLE EGRET

Photographed March 2017

(*  558)              LITTLE EGRET                   Egretta garzetta

SRI LANKA              24

Found in marshes, paddy fields, lagoons, tanks and tidal mudflats. 55-65 cm. Fairly common breeding resident in lowlands and up to lower hills, uncommon up to high hills.

CATTLE EGRET

Photographed in Sri Lanka, March 2017

(*   216)                    CATTLE EGRET                  Bubulus ibis

SRI LANKA                        7

Usually associated with cattle; found in paddy fields, marshes, damp grassland and garbage dumps. 48-53 cm. Common breeding resident in lowlands; also a large number of winter migrants arrive across the country.

CATTLE EGRET

(*  216)                         CATTLE EGRET                 Bibulous ibis

NEPAL                 80

Inhabits damp grassland, paddy fields, lakes, pools and marshes. 48-53 cm. Common and widespread resident.

NOTE: Eastern Cattle Egret if eastern form coromandus is split.

INTERMEDIATE EGRET

Kochi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Nepal March 2017

(*  215)                         INTERMEDIATE EGRET                    Mesophoyx intermedia

NEPAL                78

Inhabits marshes, flooded grassland, well-vegetated pools,; also sides of lakes, reservoirs and slow-moving rivers. 65-72 cm. Mainly resident and widespread, locally fairly common.

LITTLE EGRET

Photographed at Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Nepal, March 2017

(*   558)                   LITTLE EGRET                     Egret garzetta

NEPAL                  59

Inhabits lakes, rivers, pools, marshes and flooded paddy fields. 55-65 cm. Common and widespread resident.

EASTERN CATTLE EGRET

Subspecies coromandus photographed in Singapore November 2016

(see  216)                 CATTLE EGRET                Bibulous coromandus

SINGAPORE               (94)

Common migrant; found mostly in grasslands, occasionally freshwater marshes, avoids salt water, rarely seen on coastal mudflats; in Singapore often seen foraging near grass-cutters and lawnmowers. 52 cm. Widespread across Indian sub-continent, E and Southeast Asia, east to Australia; partly introduced in Singapore.

GREAT EGRET

Subspecies modesta photographed in Singapore (Sungei Buloh Wetlands) November 2016

(see   214)              GREAT EGRET                    Ardea alba

SINGAPORE (Sungei Buloh Wetlands)             (81)

Common migrant to coastal mudflats, mangroves, estuaries, water bodies with well-vegetated fringes and occasionally wet grasslands. 91 cm. Distribution: widespread across much of Americas, Eurasia, Africa and Australia; most northern populations migrate to winter in the tropics.

LITTLE EGRET

Photographed in Singapore November 2016

(See  558)              LITTLE EGRET          Egretta garzetta

SINGAPORE               (56)

Found in mangroves, coastal mudflats, rivers and canals, seldom in marshes and reservoirs. 65 cm. Widespread across Eurasia, Africa and Australia.

GREAT EGRET

Photographed near Sanur beach, Bali October 2016 

(see   214)              GREAT EGRET                    Ardea alba  

INDONESIA (Bali)         (89)        

Usually found around sheltered coastal wetlands such as mangroves, estuaries and tidal lagoons, and sometimes in freshwater swamps. 90 cm. Distribution: worldwide in warm climates: partly migratory; confirmed resident on Java, Sumatra and Sulawesi; generally scarce non-breeding visitor and possible resident throughout other major islands.

EASTERN REEF-EGRET (dark morph)

Photographed near Sanur beach, Bali October 2016

(see    289)              EASTERN REEF-EGRET (Dark morph)                  Egret sacra  

INDONESIA (Bali)         (88)        

Also known as Pacific Reef-heron. 58 cm. Strictly a coastal egret, found exposed sandy shores and coral reefs, on offshore islands, and on sheltered mudflats. Distribution: East Asia into Australasia: sedentary; widespread and fairly common resident along coasts of all major Indonesian islands and most small islets.

LITTLE EGRET

Photographed in Ubud, Bali October 2016 

(See  558)              LITTLE EGRET          Egret garzetta

INDONESIA (Bali)         (40)      

Found in a variety of climate zones and wetland habitats; prefers coastal estuaries, mangroves, freshwater marshes and paddy fields; often seen near the coast but also far inland. 60 cms. Range: Africa, Eurasia and Australia; resident in Sumatra, Java, Bali and Sulawesi and locally fairly common non-breeding visitor on all major islands.