Great Egret; also known as the Common Egret or Great White Heron

A small, snowy-white feather belonging to the Great Egret. The bird is a large, elegant wader with an S-curved neck, yellowish bill, and black legs. During breeding, they grow long, lacy 'aigrettes'.

Pure white with no markings. Typical of all-white egrets, relying on structural reflectance for brightness.

Highly plumulaceous and loose; barbs are long and flexible without interlocking hamuli (hooklets), providing insulation.

Extremely soft, airy, and silky; lacks the stiff, glossy surface of a primary flight feather.

Snow-white color, absence of a rigid vane, and a spherical, fluffy structure typical of Ciconiiformes semiplumes.

Freshwater and saltwater wetlands, marshes, ponds, and tidal flats.

Nearly worldwide, including North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Resident in warm regions, migratory in northern zones.

Top predator in wetland food chains, feeding on fish and frogs. An important indicator of wetland health.

Snowy Egret (smaller), Cattle Egret (thicker barbs), or juvenile Little Blue Heron (whiter feathers but usually more rigid).

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Great Egrets were nearly hunted to extinction because their feathers were highly fashionable for ladies' hats (the millinery trade).

Good condition; barbs appear clean and white, though some compression and clumping is visible due to moisture or handling.