Eastern Great Egret

The Eastern Great Egret is a tall, elegant wading bird found across eastern Australia, including New South Wales, where it frequents wetlands, rivers, estuaries and flooded grasslands.

It is distinguished by its pure white plumage, long black legs and slender yellow bill, which it uses to spear fish, frogs and other small aquatic prey. During the breeding season, adults develop delicate ornamental plumes along the back and chest, once highly prized and a key reason the species was heavily hunted in the past.

Graceful and slow moving, the Eastern Great Egret is a familiar and striking presence in both coastal and inland waterways.