Where do egrets usually live? What kind of animal is an egret?

We often read the phrase "a line of egrets flying up to the sky" in elementary school textbooks or ancient poetry books, which is very beautiful. In fact, there are 13 species of birds in the genus Egret, including the great egret, the intermediate egret, the little egret and the yellow-billed egret. All of them have completely white feathers and are commonly called "egrets". Where do egrets usually live? What kind of animal is an egret? Please continue to learn more.

Contents of this article

1. Where do egrets usually live?

2. What kind of animal is the egret?

3. Appearance characteristics of egrets

Where do egrets usually live?

Egrets generally live on coastal islands, coasts, bays, estuaries and rivers, lakes, ponds, streams, rice fields and swamps near the coast. In China, the place with the largest number of egrets is Xiamen, followed by Jiulongpo District of Chongqing, Jinan, Bailu Island in Lianshui, Jiangsu, Zaolin Bay in Yizheng, Jiangsu, etc.

There are 13 species of birds in the genus Egret, including great egret, intermediate egret, little egret and yellow-billed egret. All of them have completely white feathers and are commonly called "egrets".

The Great Egret is large and has neither a crest nor a breast feather. The Intermediate Egret is medium-sized and has no crest but breast feathers. The Little Egret and the Yellow-billed Egret are small and have both a crest and breast feathers.

Egrets mainly feed on various small fishes, and also eat animal food such as shrimps, crabs, tadpoles and aquatic insects. They usually stroll along the riverside, salt pans or paddy fields, pecking as they walk.

What kind of animal is an egret?

There are 13 types of egrets. Egrets are very docile. Among them, the great egret, intermediate egret, little egret and yellow-billed egret are all medium-sized (45cm-90cm) and their body feathers are all white, so they are collectively called egrets.

Egrets usually live in rivers, lakes, rice fields, shallow waters near ponds and the sea. They mainly feed on shrimps, small fish, frogs, locusts, mole crickets, etc. They are very timid by nature and will fly away if they see people from a distance. When flying, their necks shrink into an S shape, and they fly very leisurely and in a straight line.

At the same time, the crowns and feathers produced by egrets during the breeding period can be used for decoration, also commonly known as egret silk feathers, and are often exported to Europe, America and all over the world.

Because of the high value of their feathers, egrets often nest in groups, and they lack defense capabilities. As a result, they have gradually become endangered species due to overhunting by humans.

Egret's appearance

Egret's appearance: A medium-sized wading bird, 52-68 cm long. It has a long black beak and legs, yellow-green toes, a very long neck, and a white body. During the breeding season, it has two long, narrow, soft, spear-shaped feathers on its occipital. It also has long hooded feathers on its back and front neck, and its eyelids are pink.

The feathers of egrets are highly valued, with mostly white feathers and long decorative nuptial plumes during the breeding season. Their habits are similar to those of other herons, but some species have courtship displays, including showing off their feathers.

Egrets live on coastal islands, coasts, bays, estuaries and rivers, lakes, ponds, streams, rice fields and swamps near the coast.

Egrets mainly feed on various small fishes, and also eat animal food such as shrimps, crabs, tadpoles and aquatic insects. They usually walk along the riverside, salt pans or paddy fields while pecking at food.