Lake Independence Citizens Association

The great egret (Ardea alba) is a dazzling, tall white wading bird that arrives in Minnesota every spring to breed in local wetlands, marshes, and riverbanks. Standing up to 3.5 feet tall with a massive 5-foot wingspan, these elegant birds are hard to miss across the state's shallow waters.

Great Egrets in Minnesota

• Seasonal Visitors: They migrate north into Minnesota starting in April and stay through September before flying south for the winter.

• Prime Nesting: They are highly colonial nesters. One of the largest concentrations of nesting great egrets in the state can be found at the Egret Island Scientific and Natural Area on Pelican Lake.

• Shared Colonies: They often share nesting sites in tall trees with great blue herons and double-crested cormorants

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Common Foods

• Fish: Small minnows and other freshwater or marine fish

• Amphibians & Reptiles: Frogs, toads, and small snakes

• Invertebrates: Crayfish, shrimp, dragonflies, and grasshoppers

• Small Mammals & Birds: Mice, voles, and occasionally small nestling birds

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Fun Facts

• The S-Curve Flight: Unlike cranes and storks who fly with outstretched necks, great egrets pull their heads all the way back into an "S" curve when they fly. 

• Built-in Combs: They have a pectinate claw (a grooming comb built right onto their middle toe) which they use to clean and preen their feathers. 

• Fluorescent Face Changes: During the spring breeding season, their yellow bills turn bright neon orange and the skin patch between their eyes and bill (called the lore) glows vivid green. 

• A Conservation Icon: They were nearly hunted to extinction in the late 19th century for their delicate, lacy back plumes (called aigrettes) used in ladies' hats. The outrage over this inspired early wildlife protection laws and led the great egret to become the official symbol of the National Audubon Society. 

• Tricky Fishers: They use up to 21 different fishing techniques, including foot-stirring to scare up fish and even hovering directly over the water to dip for food. 

Historical and Conservation Facts

• Plumage Trade: In the late 1800s, fashion trends demanded egret plumes ("aigrettes"), driving the population down by as much as 95% across North America.

• The Comeback: Public outrage over the slaughter of nesting egrets led to the passage of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 and the founding of modern American bird conservation.