Great Egret

This Great Egret is in breeding plumage, where it gets that amazing lime-green color on the area between its eye and the base of its bill, called the lores. Kinda like its courtship jewelry. During the non-breeding season it lacks the green. This is just about our largest white egret or heron. The only larger white heron in the U.S., is the white morph of the Great Blue Heron, called the "Great White Heron." The Great Egret breeds throughout much of the U.S. We see them occasionally on our pond in southern NH, but there are more of them on the NH coast, where they breed. Look for them in water areas near you and see if they are decked out in their breeding plumage.

Photo © Lillian Stokes, 2007