The Great Egret in Uganda is one of the African birds in Uganda seen during Uganda birding safaris.
Also known as the common egret, large egret, white egret, or great white heron, this elegant bird attracts many birdwatchers on Uganda birdwatching tours.
Its striking white plumage makes it a favorite sight during birding safaris in Africa, adding to the excitement of birding in Uganda and Africa birdwatching tours.
It belongs to the heron family-Ardeidae, closely related to pelicans and classified with storks in ciconiiformes; unlike other egrets, the great egret belongs to the Ardea genus instead of Egretta.
It’s a great large heron standing up at 1m tall, between 80-104cm in length with a wingspan of 30 to 170 cm and it can weigh between 700 to 1500g.
The Great Egret which is also known as the Common Egret, is a large species among all the Egrets that is largely distributed into four other subspecies found in the Southern Europe, Asia, Americas and Africa. The species is shared across most of the warmer temperate regions and tropical areas of the world where it builds nests close to water regions and in colonies.
This Great Egret is a member of the Ardeidae or Heron family and in the ancient days, it was classified with in the storks that are large long legged and long necked or Ciconiiformes which are closely related to the Pelicans that are medium sized Pelecaniformes.
The Great Egret lives in swampy areas, streams, Islands, lakes, rivers and ponds. Traditionally, the white feathers of the bird species were used as a decorating material for hats of the ladies and this lead to the decline in number of the species world-wide. Towards the end of the 19th century, the practise of killing the species in search for its beautiful feathers was banned and the number of the Great Egrets increased and largely stabilized.
The Great Egret is a large species measuring 31 to 41 inches in length and having a maximum weight of 3.3 pounds together with a height reaching 3.3 feet. Its body is covered with white layer of feathers, has long black legs with feet and also the bill is yellowish with a black tip.
This bird species has large wingspan stretching up to 55 inches and while on flight, it goes at a speed of 25 miles per hour hence producing two wing beats each second.
It is an active bird mostly in work at dusk and dawn. Great Egret is a water bird and feeds on Crustaceans, small fish, small mammals, snakes, frogs, lizards and insects that stay near water.
While on hunt, the Egret stands motionless in water or at the shores and waits for its prey to extend close enough in a short distance from where it jabs or stabs the prey with its long sharp bill in just a second and eats it immediately. It also occasionally uses Crocodile’s back for floating and also sometimes steals food from other species.
The Great Egret is typically huge and snowy, with dusky forelegs and feet and a plain facial covering that spreads yonder the eye.
It is thus only somewhat lesser than the great blue or grey heron. Minus its size, the great egret can be separated from the rest of white egrets by its yellow beak and dusky legs and feet, however the bill may convert to blacker and the lower legs brighter during the breeding season.
The great egret if a silent bird, its produces a low croaky voice when troubled while when breeding in groups, it normally gives a flashy “cuk-cuk-cuk” together with loud-pitched squawking.
Feeding frequently takes place in shallow water but sometimes in drier areas. Their mainly food is fish, frogs, small mammals but also small reptiles and insects.
Great egrets are stand -wait feeders, they stand still in shallow water and wait to pierce the prey with the sharp elongated bill.
Its forage habits are very much related to that of great blue herons. The chicks feed on regurgitated fish, frogs given to them by parents.
The great egrets usually nest in areas near water, in trees, shrubs and thickets. The pair of adults build a platform mad of sticks and grass and it is placed higher about the water. The nest site is chosen by the male.
Their first breeding happens between 2-3 years. The great egrets often breed in multi species of colonies also isolated pairs can be seen. The males display courtships tactics to attract the female at their nest.
The female great egret lays about 3-4 eggs, both adults incubate the eggs for about 23-26 days. Chicks are fed by their parents by regurgitated food.
At 3-4 weeks after hatching, the chicks may begin to fly above the nest and around the nest site but their fledging continues up to 6-7weeks.
Robert
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