The Story
I photographed this Great Egret (Ardea alba) at Hato Barley in Tauramena, Casanare, Colombia. Males and females look alike, and juveniles look like nonbreeding adults. It weighs around 1,000 grams on average. Apart from its size, its yellow bill and black legs and feet set it apart from other white egrets. In breeding plumage it carries delicate ornamental feathers on its back. It is not usually a vocal bird, but it gives a low, hoarse croak when disturbed. Since 1995 royalties from Tauramena’s oil fields have funded much of its development. Tauramena lies in southwestern Casanare.
I made this frame with a Pentax K-1 and the HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6, at 1/80 sec, f/5.6, ISO 1600. IUCN lists the Great Egret as Least Concern, with a stable population.
©2019 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Great Egret (Ardea alba) belongs to the family Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2025), with the population trend listed as stable. Source: IUCN Red List