The Great Egret is a large, all white wading bird with long black legs and a thick tapered yellow bill. Found in wetland areas throughout much of the world, from southern Canada southward to Argentina, and across Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia, the Great Egret was threatened with extinction in the United States as plume hunters in the late 1800s reduced North American populations by more than 95 percent. Egret plumes were used within the fashion industry, primarily for women’s hats, and during peak demand an ounce of egret plumes was worth more than an ounce of gold. It was at this time the Audubon Society was formed to help protect the birds from the wholesale slaughter of the feather industry, eventually succeeding in getting legislation passed to protect the birds. The Great Egret has since made a dramatic comeback, becoming a symbol of the Audubon Society’s success in conservation efforts.

The Great Egret is the most common of the wading birds found at Gatorland, and can often be seen vying for the scraps the alligators miss. Breeding begins in January, with close to 100 pairs making their nests within the Alligator Breeding Marsh.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 27th, 2008 at 2:44 am and is filed under The Birds. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.