Ardea alba
Great Egret
A Majestic Wading Bird
The Great Egret is a large wading bird found in both freshwater and saltwater regions. At first, it stands perfectly still, then strikes with incredible agility. In the pictures above, you can see the egret carrying a baitfish in its mouth after lunging at its target. All photos on this page were captured by Evan Leong in South Amboy, NJ (2026).
A Conservation Success
In the 19th century, this species was almost wiped out completely. Traders used Great Egret feathers to decorate hats, and as a result, these tall, stalking birds were nearly hunted to extinction. This led to conservation measures, including the ban on Great Egret hunting in 1910. Thanks to these efforts, the Great Egret population has since rebounded to 9.5 million — of lowest conservation concern.
