Egrets - The not so spoken about
Egrets are one of my favorite birds - just mainly because of the fact that it is simple - elegant and such a silent bird it hardly gets noticed the way other birds (especially Raptors) do. We find them everywhere and anywhere lakes, fields in outskirts of the city etc. Though these birds are available in so many numbers there hardly few common people who know the difference between egrets of different sizes. First thing that they would say is -- look there is an egret -- and based on the size name it as either Big egret or Small egret.
Here is a small write up that i have come up to hilight things about this bird - its family and also few other interesting aspects.
Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Ciconiiformes
Family: Ardeidae
Egrets are mostly white or buff coloured birds, and several of which develop fine plumes during the breeding season. Many egrets are members of the genera Egretta or Ardea which contain other species named as herons rather than egrets.
In the 19th and early part of the 20th century, some of the world's egret species were endangered by relentless hunting, since hat makers in Europe and the United States demanded massive numbers of egret plumes and breeding birds were killed in locations all around the world.
Several of the egrets have been moved around from one genus to another in recent years: the Great Egret, for example, was traditionally classified as either a member of Casmoderius, Egretta or Ardea.
Cattle Egrets:
The Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis, is a small white heron. It is the only member of monotypic genus Bubulcus. It is of Old World origins, but has been a very successful coloniser, and is now found in the warmer parts of every continent except Antarctica. The Cattle Egret is often found in dry grassy habitats, unlike most herons which are associated with shallow water. Cattle Egret feeds on insects, especially grasshoppers, and are usually found with cattle and other large animals which disturb small creatures which the egrets then catch. They will sometimes ride on the backs of these animals.
This is a stocky species, 51cm long and weighing 200-600 g. It has a short thick bill and buff back, breast and crown in breeding plumage. It is otherwise white.
The breeding habitat is large wetlands in warm countries. They nest in colonies, often with other wading birds, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. 1-5 eggs are laid.
Most are permanent residents apart from some post-breeding dispersal, which has led presumably led to this egret's range expansion.
Little Egrets:
The Little Egret, Egretta garzetta is a small white heron. It is the Old World counterpart to the very similar New World Snowy Egret. The adult Little Egret is 55-65 cm long with an 88-106 cm wingspan. Its plumage is all white. It has long black legs with yellow feet and a slim black bill. In the breeding season, the adult has two long nape plumes and red or blue between the bill and eyes.
Its original breeding distribution was large inland wetlands and coastal wetlands in warm temperate parts of Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
The Little Egret nests in colonies, often with other wading birds, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. The three to five eggs are incubated by both adults for 21-25 days to hatching.
This egret stalks its prey in shallow water, often running or shuffling its feet. It may also stand still and wait to ambush prey. It eats fish, crustaceans, and insects.
Intermediate Egret
The Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia) is a medium-sized heron. It is a resident breeder from east Africa across tropical southern Asia to Australia. It often nests in colonies with other herons, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. Two to five eggs are laid, the clutch size varying with region.
This species, as its name implies, it is intermediate in size between the Great Egret and smaller white egrets like the Little Egret and Cattle Egret, though nearer to the Little than the Great. It is about 90cm tall with all white plumage, generally dark legs and a thickish yellow bill. Breeding birds may have a reddish or black bill, greenish yellow gape skin, more loose filamentous plumes on their breast and back, and dull yellow or pink on their upper legs (regional variations). The sexes are similar.
The Intermediate Egret stalks its prey methodically in shallow coastal or fresh water, including flooded fields. It eats fish, crustaceans and insects.
Great Egret
The Great Egret (Casmerodius albus), also known as the Great White Egret, White Heron, or Common Egret, is a wading egret, found in most of the tropical and warmer temperate parts of the world, although it is very local in southern Europe and Asia. It is called Kotuku in New Zealand. It should not be confused with the Great White Heron, which is a white morph of the Great Blue Heron found in Florida.
The Great Egret is a large bird with all white plumage, as much as 101 cm long and weighing up to 950 g. It is only slightly smaller than the Great Blue or Grey Herons. Apart from size, the Great Egret can be distinguished from other white egrets by its yellow bill and black legs and feet. It also has a slow flight, with its neck retracted. This is characteristic of herons and bitterns, and distinguishes them from storks, cranes and spoonbills, which extend their necks.
The Great Egret feeds in shallow water or drier habitats, spearing fish, frogs or insects with its long, sharp bill. It will often wait motionless for prey, or slowly stalk its victim. It is a conspicuous species, usually easily seen.
The Great Egret is partially migratory, with northern hemisphere birds moving south from areas with cold winters. It breeds in colonies in trees close to large lakes with reed beds or other extensive wetlands. It builds a bulky stick nest. The call at breeding colonies is a loud croaking "cuk cuk cuk".
It once happend that i took my little brother ( 10yrs then ) to lalbagh on a sunday morning. While we were walking on the bund my brother started pulling my shirt and telling "brother brother look there is a crane sitting on that tree", i was for a moment shocked for 2 reasons -- how does he know the word "crane" and secondly how did a crane come to bangalore especially to lalbagh. When i turned back i realised it was a Egret and not a crane as pointed out by my brother. I asked him how did he come to know about the name - and he replied innocently - "my teacher in school showed us the picture of this bird in a book and she told that it is a crane". I was wondering if the elders ( and teachers of course ) doesn't know what bird this is how can the younger generation learn about birding and conservation fundamentals.
Also read Cheetal - Axis Axis
Picture courtsey Jayanth Sharma - Text Wiki
Here is a small write up that i have come up to hilight things about this bird - its family and also few other interesting aspects.
Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Ciconiiformes
Family: Ardeidae
Egrets are mostly white or buff coloured birds, and several of which develop fine plumes during the breeding season. Many egrets are members of the genera Egretta or Ardea which contain other species named as herons rather than egrets.
In the 19th and early part of the 20th century, some of the world's egret species were endangered by relentless hunting, since hat makers in Europe and the United States demanded massive numbers of egret plumes and breeding birds were killed in locations all around the world.
Several of the egrets have been moved around from one genus to another in recent years: the Great Egret, for example, was traditionally classified as either a member of Casmoderius, Egretta or Ardea.
Cattle Egrets:
The Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis, is a small white heron. It is the only member of monotypic genus Bubulcus. It is of Old World origins, but has been a very successful coloniser, and is now found in the warmer parts of every continent except Antarctica. The Cattle Egret is often found in dry grassy habitats, unlike most herons which are associated with shallow water. Cattle Egret feeds on insects, especially grasshoppers, and are usually found with cattle and other large animals which disturb small creatures which the egrets then catch. They will sometimes ride on the backs of these animals.
This is a stocky species, 51cm long and weighing 200-600 g. It has a short thick bill and buff back, breast and crown in breeding plumage. It is otherwise white.
The breeding habitat is large wetlands in warm countries. They nest in colonies, often with other wading birds, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. 1-5 eggs are laid.
Most are permanent residents apart from some post-breeding dispersal, which has led presumably led to this egret's range expansion.
Little Egrets:
The Little Egret, Egretta garzetta is a small white heron. It is the Old World counterpart to the very similar New World Snowy Egret. The adult Little Egret is 55-65 cm long with an 88-106 cm wingspan. Its plumage is all white. It has long black legs with yellow feet and a slim black bill. In the breeding season, the adult has two long nape plumes and red or blue between the bill and eyes.
Its original breeding distribution was large inland wetlands and coastal wetlands in warm temperate parts of Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
The Little Egret nests in colonies, often with other wading birds, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. The three to five eggs are incubated by both adults for 21-25 days to hatching.
This egret stalks its prey in shallow water, often running or shuffling its feet. It may also stand still and wait to ambush prey. It eats fish, crustaceans, and insects.
Intermediate Egret
The Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia) is a medium-sized heron. It is a resident breeder from east Africa across tropical southern Asia to Australia. It often nests in colonies with other herons, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. Two to five eggs are laid, the clutch size varying with region.
This species, as its name implies, it is intermediate in size between the Great Egret and smaller white egrets like the Little Egret and Cattle Egret, though nearer to the Little than the Great. It is about 90cm tall with all white plumage, generally dark legs and a thickish yellow bill. Breeding birds may have a reddish or black bill, greenish yellow gape skin, more loose filamentous plumes on their breast and back, and dull yellow or pink on their upper legs (regional variations). The sexes are similar.
The Intermediate Egret stalks its prey methodically in shallow coastal or fresh water, including flooded fields. It eats fish, crustaceans and insects.
Great Egret
The Great Egret (Casmerodius albus), also known as the Great White Egret, White Heron, or Common Egret, is a wading egret, found in most of the tropical and warmer temperate parts of the world, although it is very local in southern Europe and Asia. It is called Kotuku in New Zealand. It should not be confused with the Great White Heron, which is a white morph of the Great Blue Heron found in Florida.
The Great Egret is a large bird with all white plumage, as much as 101 cm long and weighing up to 950 g. It is only slightly smaller than the Great Blue or Grey Herons. Apart from size, the Great Egret can be distinguished from other white egrets by its yellow bill and black legs and feet. It also has a slow flight, with its neck retracted. This is characteristic of herons and bitterns, and distinguishes them from storks, cranes and spoonbills, which extend their necks.
The Great Egret feeds in shallow water or drier habitats, spearing fish, frogs or insects with its long, sharp bill. It will often wait motionless for prey, or slowly stalk its victim. It is a conspicuous species, usually easily seen.
The Great Egret is partially migratory, with northern hemisphere birds moving south from areas with cold winters. It breeds in colonies in trees close to large lakes with reed beds or other extensive wetlands. It builds a bulky stick nest. The call at breeding colonies is a loud croaking "cuk cuk cuk".
It once happend that i took my little brother ( 10yrs then ) to lalbagh on a sunday morning. While we were walking on the bund my brother started pulling my shirt and telling "brother brother look there is a crane sitting on that tree", i was for a moment shocked for 2 reasons -- how does he know the word "crane" and secondly how did a crane come to bangalore especially to lalbagh. When i turned back i realised it was a Egret and not a crane as pointed out by my brother. I asked him how did he come to know about the name - and he replied innocently - "my teacher in school showed us the picture of this bird in a book and she told that it is a crane". I was wondering if the elders ( and teachers of course ) doesn't know what bird this is how can the younger generation learn about birding and conservation fundamentals.
Also read Cheetal - Axis Axis
Picture courtsey Jayanth Sharma - Text Wiki