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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Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia)

OTHER NAMES: Median Egret, Smaller Egret, Yellow-billed Egret
Latin Etymology: Ardea ("Heron") intermedia ("intermediate")

Adult Intermediate Egret (subspecies A. i. intermedia) at Sungei Boloh, Singapore - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: Ardea intermedia intermedia
Weight: 400g  /  Length: 56-72cm  /  Wingspan: 105-115cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

If ever there was a name that did what it said on the tin, it would perhaps be the intermediate egret, a species that is indeed intermediate in size and characteristics between great and little egrets.  Unlike either of these species however, it is more of a species of the tropics, although it does extend as far North as temperate Japan. In Sungei Buloh in Singapore and Prek Toal in Cambodia they were fairly common, but not never the most common heron species present.

Related Species: 
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Ardeidae
Genus: Ardea
SUBSPECIES: A. i. brachyrhyncha, A. i. intermedia, A. i. plumifera

 - Sighting Locations -

CAMBODIA - Khmer: កុកគ្រោងមធ្យម  ("Medium ?")

A locally common resident.

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Common at Prek Toal

SINGAPORE - An uncommon resident.

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Fairly common at Sungei Buloh

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

Eastern Cattle Egret (Bubulcus coromandus)

OTHER NAMES: Cattle Egret

Latin Etymology: Bubulcus ("cow-herd") coromandus ("of the Coromand coast")

Two Breeding plumage Adult Eastern Cattle Egret (Bubulcus coromandus) at Phnom Krom, Cambodia - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 270-512g  /  Length: 51cm  /  Wingspan: 88-96cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not yet Evaluated

As with the Eastern Great Egret, this is another case of a Eurasian heron species which has been split horizontally by some taxonomists yet remains lumped by others. In this case, the Eastern Cattle Egret is more widely accepted than the Eastern Great Egret, but still not that widely accepted.  The main difference between this species and its western counterparts (beyond obviously, range) is the breeding plumage - the buff colouration is more extensive in this species along with some other coloration differences.

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

 - Sighting Locations -

CAMBODIA - Khmer name: កុកគោ ("cow ?")

Locally resident

SINGAPORE / CAMBODIA 2019 TRIP - One at Phnom Krom

MALAYSIA - Malay - Bangau Kerbau ("Buffalo Egret")

Locally common resident.

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: Abundant on the fields of Simpang Airport, Kuala Lumpur but not seen elsewhere.

SINGAPORE - A resident.

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Seen from moving car several times.

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

Western Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)

OTHER NAMES: Cattle Egret

Latin Etymology: Bubulcus ("cow-herd") ibis ("ibis")

Winter plumage adult Western Cattle Egret (subspecies B. i. ibis) at El Rocio, Spain - December 2011

Featured Subspecies: Bubulcus ibis ibis
Weight: 270-512g  /  Length: 51cm  /  Wingspan: 88-96cm
UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Cattle Egret has in the span of this blogs existence gone from largely a vagrant to a regular wintering visitor, with a population of around 100 each year, and may well continue from there.  It can be differentiated from the little egret by the yellow bill and from the great white egret by the smaller size and stockier body.  In Spain it is far far more common, and can be found in wetland, or on fields with cattle or horses.  It is replaced in East Asia by the closely related Eastern Cattle Egret.

Related Species:
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Ardeidae
Genus: Bubulcus
Subspecies: B. i. ibis, B. i. coromandus, B. i. seychellarum

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - An increasingly regular Winter visitor and vagrant.

-- A flock of 9 present at Woodford, Northants in April 2022

SPAIN - Spanish -  Garcilla bueyera ("Oxen Egret")

Common to locally abundant resident in appropriate habitat.

 - SEVILLE 2011 TRIP: A number seen near Italica, around 10 seen in the vicinity of El Rocio
 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Fairly common, seen in flight at various random locations, numerous near Arrocampo.

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

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Great White Egret (Ardea alba)

OTHER NAMES: Great Egret, Common Egret, Large Egret

Latin Etymology: Ardea ("Heron") alba ("white")

Top: Adult Great White Egret (subspecies A. a. alba) at Summer Leys Reserve. March 2022

Featured Subspecies: Ardea alba alba
Weight: 700-1500g  /  Length: 80-104cm  /  Wingspan: 131-170cm
UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern 

Since the time this blog started, the Great White Egret has gone from a rare occassional species to a mainstay of British wetlands being seen regularly at many local sites consistantly throughout the year.  Even beyond that, it is a very widely distributed species globally, found on every continent except Antarctica and found in nearly any habitat where there is non-frozen water for it to feed in, and indeed, is with the possible exception of the feral pigeon the species I have seen in most countries.

Related species:
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Ardeidae 
Genus: Ardea 
Subspecies: A. a. alba, A. a. egretta, A. a. melanorhynchos, A. a. modesta

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A rare Winter migrant (35 individuals) and regular vagrant.

 - A regular at Pitsford Reservoir in Winter, seen in multiple years.

CAMBODIA - Khmer: កុកគ្រោងធំ  ("Big ?")

A locally common resident.

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Common at Prek Toal

COSTA RICA

A locally common resident.

 - COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Common at Tarcoles

JAPAN -  Japanese - ダイサギ /  Dai-sagi ("Large Heron")

Locally common resident

 - KYOTO/OSAKA 2013 TRIP: A single bird at Kyoto.

SINGAPORE - An locally common resident.

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Fairly common at Sungei Buloh

SPAIN - Spanish - Garceta grande ("Great Egret")

A fairly common resident in appropriate habitat,

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: A few birds seen at Arrocampo.

UNITED STATES 
Resident on most of the Coastal areas, winters throughout
 - 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 .