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Little Egret

Conservation status

Least Concern

Population Trend

Increasing

Alternate Names

-

Native Habitat

Lake, River, Nala

Diet

Fish, Frogs, Insects

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Little Egret

Egretta garzetta

The adult Little Egret is 55-65 cm long with an 88-106 cm wingspan. It weighs 350-550 grams. Its plumage is all white. It has long black legs with yellow feet and a slim black bill. In the breeding season, the adult has two long nape plumes and gauzy plumes on the back and breast. The bare skin between the bill and eyes becomes red or blue. Juveniles are similar to non-breeding adults but have duller legs and feet. Little Egrets are mostly silent but make various croaking and bubbling calls at their breeding colonies and produce a harsh alarm call when disturbed.

Regional Names
  • Assamese:
    বামুণ বগলী
  • Bengali:
    ছোট বগা
  • Bhojpuri:
    किल्चिया बकुला
  • French:
    Aigrette garzette
  • Gujarati:
    કિલિચિયો, નાનો ઢોલ બગલો
  • Hindi:
    करछिया बगुला
  • Kannada:
    ಸಣ್ಣ ಬೆಳ್ಳಕ್ಕಿ
  • Malayalam:
    ചിന്നമുണ്ടി
  • Marathi:
    लहान बगळा, पिसारी बगळा, पोर बगळा, धाकटी पाती
  • Sanskrit:
    बलाकिका
  • Tamil:
    சின்னக் கொக்கு
Media Gallery
Taxanomy

PELECANIFORMES
ARDEIDAE
Egretta garzetta

Quick Facts
  • These have black beak, black legs and yellow feet.