Ardea (Egretta) alba
At almost a metre tall with a wingspan of 1.7m and a weight of up to 1½kg, the Great Egret (or Great White Heron) is the largest of the white herons (or egrets) occurring in South Africa.
Great Egrets normally forage alone or in small, loosely associated groups, although they do sleep and breed in large colonies of up to a thousand pairs (often with other kinds of herons as well as cormorants and ibises). They are usually seen in flooded grasslands, along rivers and dams and at estuaries and lagoons, where they prey mainly on fish and frogs and occasionally on other vertebrates. Nests are built of sticks, over water in sturdy trees or reedbeds or on islands. In South Africa most breeding occurs during the rainy summer season. Both sexes incubate the clutch of up to 6 eggs for a little over 3 weeks, and then feed the chicks on regurgitated food until they are able to fly within two months of hatching.
Great Egrets occur on all the continents except Antarctica, and is commonly encountered over most of Africa south of the Sahara. Owing to its enormous distribution and large population, the IUCN considers the species of Least Concern. In South Africa, they are absent only from the arid west of the country.
de Wets Wild 
Lovely photos you have taken! 🙂 I have been lucky to photograph an egret here in Kristianstad, Sweden. It is a rare guest here. 🙂 You have also a very nice blog and i see forward to read your post and see your pictures of the amazing nature you have in South Africa. 🙂
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Wonderful to have you join us, John! Welcome, and hope to see you often!
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Mal oor die eerste foto!!! Jammer ek was so lanklaas hier…
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Baie dankie, Aletta – Altyd lekker as jy kom kuier!
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🙂
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Such a remarkable capture of the flying Egret!!
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Thanks Amy!
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Sjoe – pragtig!
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Baie dankie, Spokie!
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Such a magnificent bird! I’m always happy to see them.
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They’re world citizens just like you, Sylvia!
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That first photo is so gloriously captured, Dries. It is like an antique Chinese water colour.
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Thanks very much, Tish!
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The last two photos, especially, are beautiful. The sunlight makes them look slightly pink–like a flamingo.
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Thanks Lois! All thanks to our dusty red sunsets I believe.
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Amazing shots, those are some beautiful birds.
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Thanks very much, Tej! Indeed, their splendid white plumage makes for a beautiful bird!
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Saw two egrets this morning at the park. I love watching them!
janet
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Lucky you, Janet! I bet you got some nice photos of them?
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I had my cell phone and they were far enough away that I couldn’t zoom in quite enough. I’m going back tomorrow morning with my Nikon and hopefully they’ll still be around. If not, I’ll get them another time.
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Wonderful, can’t wait to see your pictures!
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Very similar to our Common Egret in N. America.
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It is indeed the same species, Alanna – with such a worldwide distribution it is known by several common names.
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