The Story
I made this photo of a Great Egret (Ardea alba) at La Charca de Guarinocito in La Dorada, Caldas, Colombia. 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. It weighs around 1,000 grams on average. Corpocaldas counts 135 plant species, 14 amphibians, 21 reptiles, 164 birds and 45 mammals at the charca. IUCN lists the Great Egret as Least Concern, with a stable population.
I used a Pentax K-1 with the HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6 for this one, at 1/800 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200. In 2025 Corpocaldas zoned the charca for preservation, restoration and sustainable use, recognizing its role in community tourism and artisanal fishing.
©2021 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