Little Egret

Egretta garzetta

Garza Peque±a, Garceta Com·n

 

 

 

 
Photo: B. Hallett

 

This species is white, with black legs and yellow feet, but with a longer, thicker bill than the similar Snowy Egret. It has two long, thin feathers sometimes visible on the back of the head, while the Snowy Egret has shorter crown feathers. Length: 55-65 cm.; weight: 280-638 g. Breeds in Africa, Australia, southern Eurasia, and recently in Barbados. Although this species is called Garceta Común in Spanish in its native Old World habitat, it is in fact rare in the New World. Accidental in wetlands on Puerto Rico (e.g., Arecibo River mouth, 25 Sept.-26 Dec. 1999; Ca±o Tiburones, Dec. 1999-March 2000).

TAXONOMY: CICONIIFORMES; ARDEIDAE

 
   
Photo: J. Hornbuckle

 

 
Photo: S. Bentsen
 

 

 
Photo: S. Bentsen
 

References

Combridge, P., and C. Parr. 1992. Influx of Little Egrets in Britain and Ireland in 1989. Br. Birds 85:16-21.

Colón, S. A.. 1999. Garceta Común en Arecibo. El Bien-te-veo 2(4):2.

del Hoyo, J., A. Elliott, and J. Sargatal, eds. 1992. Handbook of Birds of the World, Vol. 1. Ostrich to ducks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Hume, R. A. 1992. Identification of Little Egret Egretta garzetta. Br. Birds 85:21-24.

Jonsson, L. 1993. Birds of Europe with North Africa and the Middle East. Princeton, NJ, 559 pp.

Massiah, E. 1996. Identification of Snowy Egret and Little Egret. Birding World 9:434-444.

Mlodinow, S. G., W. E. Davis, Jr., and J. I. Dies. 2004. Little Egret: with notes on Western Reef-Heron. Birding 36(1):52-62.

Raffaele, H.A. 1989. A guide to the birds of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Princeton.

Raffaele, H.A. 1989. Una guía a las aves de Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes. Publishing Resources, Inc., Santurce, PR.

Raffaele, H.A., J.W. Wiley, O.H. Garrido, A.R. Keith, and J.I. Raffaele. 1998. Guide to the birds of the West Indies. Princeton.

http://www.bird-stamps.org/species/20047.htm

Little Egret, Spanish text

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