Great White Egret
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Egretta alba
Scarce migrant & regularly increasing Winter Visitors of 100-150 per year & a fairly rare breeder.
Common on the Somerset Levels, bred there for the first time in 2012.
Also breeds in Southern France, South East & Central Europe, the Netherlands & Central USA south to Southern South America.
Known also as Great Egret.
Adults in Summer, have a black bill with a green base.
Non breeding Adults & Juveniles have yellow bills.
They have yellow legs.
They fly with their deeply bow wings & trailing legs.
The call is slightly deeper than a Little Egret's.
They are nearly the same size as a Grey Heron, but not quite so heavily built.