Scientific Name: Casmerodius alba
Nest Type: Platform
Nest Location: Deciduous trees, shrubs
Clutch Size: 1-6; avg. 3
Food: Fish, small vertebrates, aquatic invertebrates
Foraging Guild: Stalk and strike
Great Egrets are distributed along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, and along the
Mississippi River Valley. In the western United States they range from Oregon and Idaho
south to Arizona (Peterson 1980, Terres 1987). Great Egrets are common summer
residents in southern and portions of central Minnesota, and have recently been expanding
their range into the northern portions of the state (Janssen 1987). Roberts (1932) reported
the species as an occasional straggler from the south.
Great Egrets begin to arrive in Minnesota in late March, and spring migration
continues into late May (Janssen 1987). Great Egrets begin leaving Minnesota in late July
for their wintering grounds in the southern United States and Central America. Their fall
migration may continue into October with a few stragglers sometimes remaining into
November (Janssen 1987).
Great Egrets can be found feeding along wetlands, lakes, rivers, and irrigation
ditches. They usually nest in colonies, which occasionally consist of hundreds of
individuals (Ehrlich et al. 1988). Their nests are often built in medium-sized trees 7-15
meters above the ground, but also may be in cattails only 1 meter above the water (Terres
1987). The diet of the Great Egret includes fish, insects, small birds, reptiles, and
amphibians; nestlings are usually fed fish, crayfish, and frogs (Ehrlich et al. 1988).
As with Great Blue Herons, loss of current and potential nest colony habitat could
have negative effects on Great Egret populations.