Standing still on the edge of the pond, the striking Great Egret can’t be missed as it hunts for food.
The large white bird, a bit smaller than a Great Blue Heron, hunts for small fish and amphibians, which it spears with its razor sharp bill and swallows the prey whole.
It’s fascinating to watch the Great Egret in shallow water, where it either walks very slowly or stands still while waiting for prey to swim by or poke their head above water.
During breeding season, you’ll see a bit of neon green color below the eye at the base of the orange bill.
For some reason, I didn’t see many Great Egrets this year, until the last couple weeks where I’ve seen them at almost every swamp in southeast Michigan and northwest Ohio I’ve birded at.
Have you see any Great Egrets in your area?
