Bird Guide

Great Egret vs Grey Heron

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Great Egret

Ardea alba

Large871 gWetland

The great egret is a large heron with all-white plumage. Standing up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) tall, this species can measure 80 to 104 cm (31 to 41 in) in length with a wingspan of 131 to 170 cm (52 to 67 in). Body mass can range from 700 to 1,500 g (25 to 53 oz), with an average around 1,000 g (35 oz). It is thus only slightly smaller than the great blue or grey heron (A. cinerea). Apart from size, the great egret can be distinguished from other white egrets by its yellow bill and black legs and feet, though the bill may become darker and the lower legs lighter in the breeding season.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Sonothèque ADVL · CC0
Photo: Clare Edwards · CC BY 4.0
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)

Grey Heron

Ardea cinerea

Large1.4 kgWetland

The grey heron is a large bird, standing up to 100 cm (40 in) tall and measuring 84–102 cm (33–40 in) long with a 155–195 cm (61–77 in) wingspan. The body weight can range from 1.02–2.08 kg (2 lb 4 oz – 4 lb 9+1⁄4 oz). The plumage is largely ashy-grey above, and greyish-white below, with some black on the flanks. Adults have a white head and neck with a broad black supercilium that terminates in the slender, dangling crest, and bluish-black streaks on the front of the neck. The scapular feathers and the feathers at the base of the neck are somewhat elongated.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Sonothèque ADVL · CC0
Photo: (c) Frank Sengpiel, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Frank Sengpiel · cc-by

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Great Egret and Grey Heron.