Great egret

Great egret in flight over dry grass with wings raised high

Against a wall of dull reeds, a great egret is almost startling: a tall white bird standing like a question mark in the shallows. In Manitoba they are more of a summer treat than a sure thing, since the province sits near the northern edge of their range, so every sighting feels like a small gift. With brilliant white plumage, a long yellow bill, and black legs, the great egret is a graceful sight in Manitoba wetlands. Common through the summer, it can be found wading in marshes, ponds, and along shallow lake edges.

At about a metre tall, a great egret hunts with the same slow stalk and lightning strike as a heron. The lacy plumes that grow in breeding season nearly cost the species its future: they were hunted for hat feathers in the late 1800s, a slaughter that helped launch the Audubon movement, and the great egret is still that society’s emblem. In Manitoba you will find them from late spring through summer, before they head south for the winter. In breeding season long, lacy plumes trail from its back, and it hunts by standing still or wading slowly before striking at fish with a quick lunge.

Curious about the great egret and its habitat? Learn more on its page at All About Birds.

Field notes in photographs

  • Great egret in flight over dry grass with wings raised high
  • Great egret standing in the water in front of golden reeds
  • Great egret flying low over marsh grass
  • Great egret in flight with wings raised against a green background
  • Great egret flying past trees at the edge of a marsh
  • Great egret standing among tall green reeds
  • Great egret landing in shallow water with wings spread
  • Great egret standing in still water with its reflection
  • Three great egrets wading in a green marsh pond
  • Great egrets standing in front of green reeds, reflected in the water
  • Great egret wading among tall reeds
  • Great egrets together in a marsh, one with wings spread
  • Great egret photographed in Manitoba, 1
  • Great egret photographed in Manitoba, 2
  • Great egret photographed in Manitoba, 3
  • Great egret photographed in Manitoba, 4
  • Great egret photographed in Manitoba, 7
  • Great egret photographed in Manitoba, 10
  • Great egret photographed in Manitoba, 13
  • Great egret perched on a rock at the water's edge with its plumes fluttering in the breeze, Manitoba

Great egret Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the great egret in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Map of Manitoba showing where the great egret nests, with major cities and lakes
Where to look for the great egret in Manitoba through the seasons: nesting in the Prairies (gold). Habitat regions: National Ecological Framework for Canada. Boundaries: Statistics Canada. Lakes: Natural Earth.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.

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