How to identify egrets

Bird ID

8 Feb

4 minute read

One of the harder Australian birds to identify is the egret. At first glance, they all look like large, white waterbirds. This guide will help you tell apart the Cattle Egret, Eastern Great Egret, Little Egret and Plumed Egret by focusing on a few key differences.

Cattle Egret

The Cattle Egret is a small white egret with an orange feather ‘makeover’ during breeding season. This includes its crown, neck, breast, and bill. Outside breeding season, it can be confused with other white egrets. Its behaviour, leg length and bill colour help to tell it apart.

Text says Cattle Egret - small egret that often hangs out with cows and horses. Non-breeding adult. Image is of an all-white waterbird that has yellow eye and bill

Eastern Great Egret

The Great Egret is a majestic white bird with a yellow bill and legs most of the year. Breeding adult egrets show off with black bills, turquoise-green faces and flowing back plumed feathers on their back and tail. Youngsters have a dark tip on their yellow bill.

Listen to its call

Text says Eastern Great Egret - Australia's largest egret hangs out alone or in small groups. Image is of an all-white waterbird with a long neck, plumed feathers on its back and tail and long legs

Text says Eastern Great Egret - Australia's largest egret hangs out alone or in small groups. Image is of an all-white waterbird with a long neck, long legs and yellow facial skin and bill

Little Egret

The Little Egret is the smallest of the egrets. It sports some fancy plumed feathers during breeding season. Found in almost any wetland, it's easy to spot but can be confused with larger egrets and herons. Look out for its black bill when breeding and black bill with yellow lower-mandible (base of the bill) when not breeding.

Plumed Egret

The Plumed Egret bridges the gap between similar egrets. Stockier than Cattle and Little Egrets, but smaller than the Great Egret, it has a medium-length yellow bill (rose-red in courtship), rounded head, and shorter legs than the Great Egret. Look for it in flocks near water bodies.

Text says Little Egret - small egret about the size of a White-faced Heron. Non-breeding adult. Image is of an all-white waterbird that has yellow facial skin, a black bill with yellow base and black legs

Eastern Reef Egret

The Pacific Reef Heron is sometimes called the Eastern Reef Egret. Genetically, this bird is a type of heron. But it does belong to the Ardeidae bird family, which includes herons, egrets and bitterns.

It has two morphs - dark or white. The white morph can be confused with the Little or Intermediate Egret. Look out for its thicker bill, shorter legs and the long plumes on the nape of its neck, back and breast.