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At one time common in Western Europe, it was hunted extensively in the 19th century to provide plumes for the decoration of hats and became locally extinct in northwestern Europe and scarce in the south.
NT: Endangered
Indigenous: Lesser Egret, Spotless Egret
At a glance
FamilyHerons, Egrets, and Bitterns
SizeLarge
RarityCommon
HabitatMarshes, estuaries, river edges, mangroves, mudflats, and shallow water.
Best timeReported across most months in Queensland, with no narrow seasonal peak.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Vandousselaere Patrick
Range map
Range map
2959visible hotspots
155137visible records
6states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Behavior
As an aquatic bird, it feeds in shallow water and on land, consuming a variety of small creatures. It breeds colonially, often with other species of water birds, making a platform nest of sticks in a tree, bush or reed bed.
Gallery