The Great Egret
Grant Liang
The Great Egret and Its Struggle with Media
Cataloguing a bird in the wild can be an arduous and seemingly impossible task for the inexperienced bird enthusiast. For most, the easiest birds to recognize are the ones that stand out amongst the flocks. The Great Egret is precisely one such bird (All About Birds - Great Egret, Identification). With its easy to spot wingspan made up of snow-white plumage that can stretch up to an amazing eighty-five inches, it is arguably one of the most distinct and easy to identify birds in the animal kingdom (The Great Egret - Great Egret Identification). It has a long, thin, and sharply curved neck, long legs and relatively short body with an apparent yellow bill and black legs. The large wings of pure white feathers are an evolutionary sign that this bird is migratory (All About Birds - Great Egret Identification). It thrives in tropical and temperate regions of the world and can be found in areas of the world that harbor these climates (The Great Egret - Great Egret Identification).
Great Egret pairs often breed on the shores of bodies of water (including artificial lakes) and lay their eggs in nests built in a tree, a shrub, or a thicket. 1-5, most commonly 3, light bluish-green eggs are laid (All About Birds - Great Egret, Identification). Parents take turns to incubate the eggs and to feed the chicks. While most birds do not start incubating their eggs until the full clutch is laid, Great Egrets start incubating as soon as the first egg is laid (Great Egret - Ardea Alba). Great Egrets are monogamous and both parents take turns incubating the eggs. The birds have a natural tendency towards wetlands, which are densely overgrown with shrubs and herbaceous vegetation that is perfect for incubation and rearing. In these wetlands, it is common to find large colonies of Great Egrets, which may also include other egret species as well as herons (Great Egret - National Geographic).
Great Egrets are
The Great Egret and Its Struggle with Media
Cataloguing a bird in the wild can be an arduous and seemingly impossible task for the inexperienced bird enthusiast. For most, the easiest birds to recognize are the ones that stand out amongst the flocks. The Great Egret is precisely one such bird (All About Birds - Great Egret, Identification). With its easy to spot wingspan made up of snow-white plumage that can stretch up to an amazing eighty-five inches, it is arguably one of the most distinct and easy to identify birds in the animal kingdom (The Great Egret - Great Egret Identification). It has a long, thin, and sharply curved neck, long legs and relatively short body with an apparent yellow bill and black legs. The large wings of pure white feathers are an evolutionary sign that this bird is migratory (All About Birds - Great Egret Identification). It thrives in tropical and temperate regions of the world and can be found in areas of the world that harbor these climates (The Great Egret - Great Egret Identification).
Great Egret pairs often breed on the shores of bodies of water (including artificial lakes) and lay their eggs in nests built in a tree, a shrub, or a thicket. 1-5, most commonly 3, light bluish-green eggs are laid (All About Birds - Great Egret, Identification). Parents take turns to incubate the eggs and to feed the chicks. While most birds do not start incubating their eggs until the full clutch is laid, Great Egrets start incubating as soon as the first egg is laid (Great Egret - Ardea Alba). Great Egrets are monogamous and both parents take turns incubating the eggs. The birds have a natural tendency towards wetlands, which are densely overgrown with shrubs and herbaceous vegetation that is perfect for incubation and rearing. In these wetlands, it is common to find large colonies of Great Egrets, which may also include other egret species as well as herons (Great Egret - National Geographic).
Great Egrets are
Bibliography: "All About Birds." Great Egret, Identification,. Web. 05 Mar. 2012. . "Great Egret." Assateague Animals and Plants. Web. 05 Mar. 2012. . "Great Egret - Ardea Alba." - NatureWorks. Web. 05 Mar. 2012. . "Great Egret (egretta Alba): Info Fact Sheet, Photos." Ria 's Free Conservation, Nature Info. Web. 05 Mar. 2012. . "Great Egret Printout- EnchantedLearning.com." 302 Found. Web. 05 Mar. 2012. "Great Egret." National Geographic. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. . "Great Egret - Animal Facts." Switch Zoo. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. . "The Great Egret." : Kaieteur News. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. .