Great Egret Life Cycle

The great egret is a large bird that stands three feet or more in height and can have wingspans of up to five feet. Its bill is long and yellow and it has long black or gray legs. The Great Egret's feet are long as well and not webbed. It is also known as a Common Egret, White Egret, American Egret and the Great White Heron.

  1. Male

    • The male looks for a place for a nest, then spends his time building it. He uses sticks as well as twigs as his building materials, and chooses trees or bushes as his foundation. Occasionally, he will choose a dry spot near a marsh.

    Breeding Plumage

    • When the male and female are courting, their plumage changes. They grow lacy plumage that curls upward over their tails. The males' plumage is longer than the females'.

    Company

    • The Great Egret likes to nest in communities of other birds, not just egrets. They like being with herons and ibis as well.

    The Eggs

    • Once the male picks out his mate, she lays up to five light-colored, blue-green eggs. She will sit on them for up to four weeks while they incubate. The male will spell the female occasionally, and sit on the nest himself.

    The Chicks

    • It takes six weeks for the chicks to fledge. Both parents protect them fiercely until the chicks are ready to leave the nest.

    Life

    • The Great Egret is a long-lived bird. Some adults have lived to 22 years old. Not all chicks survive, however. It is common for the stronger of the two chicks to kill the weaker one, taking all of the food for itself. This bird gains sexual maturity in about two or three years. Females can lay up to five eggs. Great Egrets that live in areas with distinct seasons usually lay eggs in the spring or summer when food is plentiful. In the tropics, where seasons aren't an issue and food is plentiful year-round, egg-laying may occur at any time. When possible, the Great White Egret is monogamous.