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Field Guide for all the Birds of North America

Egrets

Aigrettes

Ardeidae

Information, images and range maps on over 1,000 birds of North America, including sub-species, vagrants, introduced birds and possibilities

North American Bird Search Box

The North American egrets are a common sight in the wetlands and swamps of the southeastern portions of the United States. This was not always the case, because of the beautiful feathers the egrets displayed in their breeding plumage, they were hunted almost to extinction in the 19th and 20th centuries. The plumage was collected and used in ladies fashionwear. To stop this practice, the hunting of the egrets was made illegal by protecting these birds under federal laws.

Today, the egrets are once again being threatened for another reason. The loss of their habitat through the draining of wetlands, due to agriculture and housing expansions. Local and federal governments, as well as individual organizations are purchasing tracts of land, creating parks and reserves and providing areas for these birds and others to exist.

There are four species of egrets in North America, other than the visiting bird blown in from another country or an escaped exotic bird from its' compound. The Great Egret is the most common and is seen from Florida all the way into southern Canada during the warmer months. The Cattle Egret is seen over the same range but not as commonly as the Great Egret. The Snowy Egret and Reddish Egret are more apt to be seen in the United States, mostly in the southeastern areas.

North American Birds Videos

Click on the bird names listed below to see pictures of the the Egrets seen in North America

Cattle Egret

Chinese Egret

Great Egret

Intermediate Egret

Little Egret

Reddish Egret

Reddish Egret (White)

Snowy Egret

Egret Species

References to Other Bird Sites:

Avibase - the world bird database This site provides the user with a complete list of bird species, broken down per country, or in the example of the US or Canada, per state and province. Here, bird species names are available in other languages, a great asset to be used as a translation of foreign bird names.

ABA - American Birding Association This site represents an organization that maintains official records of all birds species that have been proven to have been seen inside the perimeters of the North American Continent and the surrounding bodies of water. Regular revised versions are posted to keep the bird list current at all times. This is the list used by all serious birders over their lifetime. You may be aware of the movie called the "Big Year". It was with this list that all the competing birders used in an attempt to set a new record as to how many bird species that could be seen by an individual birder in one calendar year.

I hope you will take advantage of these suggested websites. I have used each of them, in one way or another, throughout the years in my quest to better identify and understand our fine feathered friends.

Classic Collection of North American Birds

CCNAB