Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Egretta ("egret") caerulea ("cerulean")

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) at Tarcoles, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 400g  /  Length: 56-74cm  /  Wingspan: 100-105cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A close relation of the smaller egret species but with a distinctly different colour, the Little Blue Heron is however more restricted to warmer climates and generally not venturing huge distances inland, although they are found on both fresh and saltwater. While their range is expected to increase with climate change, they do suffer from heavy metal poisoning from pollution built up by their prey.

Related Species:
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Ardeidae
Genus: Egretta
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA - Spanish - Garzeta azul ("Blue Egret")

Fairly common at suitable sites
 - COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Fairly common around Tarcoles estuary

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Egretta ("egret") thula (Araucano term for Black-necked Swan)

Adult Snowy Egret (subspecies E. t. brewsteri) at Berkeley, California - August 2022

Featured Subspecies: Egretta thula brewsteri
Weight: 370g  /  Length: 56-66cm  /  Wingspan: 100cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Snowy Egret is the New World equivalent of the Little Egret which it very strongly resembles visually, although the Snowy is (counterintuitively) a little smaller and have some differences in skin colouration on face and legs. Snowy in this instance have bright yellow skin on the face that bridges over the top of the beak.

Related Species:
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Ardeidae
Genus: Egretta
SUBSPECIES: E. t. thula, E. t. brewsteri

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Found primarily ooastally, breeds in some areas inland
- CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Berkeley

 Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Egretta ("egret") garzetta ("Italian name for species")

Adult Little Egret (subspecies E. g. garzetta) at Padstow, Cornwall - May 2012

Featured Subspecies: Egretta garzetta garzetta
Weight: 350-550g  /  Length: 55-65cm  /  Wingspan: 88-106cm
UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The little egret is a recent colonist to this country, only establishing themselves in the last 15 years. I recall being incredibly surprised seeing a colony on the river Fal when I was a child, a number of them perched on a tree seemed incredibly exotic compared to their much more common relation the grey heron. As of this last year they've spread far enough North that I've had two sightings in Geddington along the river! They are seemingly more timid than grey herons in the UK at least, but the individuals I have encountered in other countries far less so.  In Japan they are more commonplace than in the UK, where they still are largely found in the South of England.

Related Species:
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Ardeidae
Genus: Egretta
Subspecies: E. g. garzetta, E. g. nigripes, E. g. immaculata, E. g. dimorpha 

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Common to Locally abundant Breeding Resident (9000 pairs) and Common Winter Visitor (41000 birds)

 - Birds seen at Rutland Water, Oare Marshes, Elmley Marshes, Rainham Marshes, Eyebrook Reservoir and Geddington.

CAMBODIA - Khmer - កុកគ្រោងតូច ("Little ?")

 A fairly common, and locally abundant resident

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Abundant Prek Toal

ITALY - Italian - La Garzetta ("Egret")

A resident.

 - SICILY 2018 TRIP - One seen at Fiume Ciane 

JAPAN - Japanese - コサギ  /  Ko-sagi ("Small Heron")

Locally common resident - subspecies P. c. hanedae. Mostly freshwater only, replaced on the coast by the Japanese Cormorant.

 - KYOTO 2013 TRIP: Several seen on the Kamo River in Central Kyoto.

MALAYSIA - Malay - Bangau Kecil ("Small Heron")

A locally common resident

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: Several pairs seen near the shorefront in Malacca

SINGAPORE 
A fairly common resident

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP:Several at Sungei Buloh

SPAIN - Spanish - Garzeta común ("Common Egret") 

Scarce and Local Resident

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Seen in Arrocampo. 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .