Egret is the general name for Egret birds. There are 17 genera and 60 species of egrets in the world. The shape of the egret is spindle-shaped, with a long beak, long neck and long legs, and its feet and toes are thin and long.

The demeanor of the egret is like a crane, its temperament is gentle and elegant, and its posture is graceful and unrestrained, so it has been loved by people since ancient times. The egret has always been the object that literati likes to sing, and the animal that painters like to express.

Egrets are large and medium-sized waders and prefer to inhabit wetlands, such as near water forests, seashores, rivers, lakes, paddy fields, swamps and other water-rich areas. The egret is widely distributed on all land between 60° north and south latitude. Except for northern Asia, northern North America, Antarctica and some islands, it is widely distributed all over the world. When people evaluate the quality of a place's ecological environment, egrets are often used as an important indicator animal.

The Egret genus of birds is a large family that includes great egrets, middle egrets, little egrets and snowy egrets. These species of birds are very similar in appearance. If you don't have a deep understanding, you can't tell the difference between them. Let's take a look at their unique morphological characteristics.

1. Great egret

The greatest feature of the Great Egret is the yellow-toed black bill. It is the most stalwart species of all heron birds. The total length of the Great Egret is nearly one meter, and the neck and feet are very slender. The adult Great Egret has nearly milky white feathers all over its body, but has a little yellow body feathers on the abdomen. Typically, great egrets have black legs, but occasionally some great egrets can be seen with slightly red or green tints on their legs. Its beak undergoes some physiological changes during the annual breeding season, showing a black state. The Great Egret's plumage is extremely slender and sparse.

2. Medium egret

The medium egret is a medium-sized wading bird with a body length of 62-70 cm. The middle egret is white all over, with yellow eyelids and black feet and toes. In summer, there are long lanceolate feathers on the lower part of the back and front neck, and the bill is black; in winter, the back and front neck have no feathers, the bill is yellow, and the front end is black.

3. Little egret

The little egret is 52-68 cm long and is a medium-sized wading bird. The little egret is slender and white. The little egret is very different from the great egret, it is black-toed yellow-billed. Little egrets are usually resident birds and do not move elsewhere due to the changing seasons.

4. Snow Heron

Snow Heron is named after its feathers as white as snow, and the color of its feet is bright yellow, which looks like a pair of eye-catching yellow "socks" from a distance.

In many areas, due to the disorderly expansion of human production and life, the wetland environment has been destroyed, the ecology has deteriorated, and the habitat of egrets is lacking. In recent years, some species of egrets have appeared in large numbers around cities, and some even nest in groups in urban areas. However, because these places are far from feeding grounds, it is very difficult to feed the chicks and cause breeding failures. Coupled with the hunting and killing of humans, some genera and species are on the verge of extinction.