Great Egret (Common Egret, Large Egret, Great White Heron)

A large, elegant white heron with a long S-curved neck, yellow bill, and black legs. This feather represents the pristine white plumage that defines the species. In flight, they are slow and methodical with neck tucked.

Pure stark white throughout. There is no pigmentation or patterning. The underside (ventral) has a slightly higher satin sheen than the dorsal surface.

Densely packed pennaceous barbs on the upper two-thirds, transitionining to plumulaceous (downy) barbs at the base (superior umbilicus).

Smooth, silky, and somewhat stiff. The surface is matte-to-satin and lacks the heavy oily coating found in waterfowl, as egrets use powder down for maintenance.

Uniform pure white color, size exceeding 15cm, lack of dark tips (distinguishing from gulls), and stiff secondary structure without 'velvet' texture (distinguishing from owls).

Freshwater and saltwater wetlands, marshes, swampy woods, tidal flats, and lake margins.

Found across most of the tropical and warmer temperate regions of the world; in North America, they migrate from northern breeding grounds to southern coasts and Central/South America.

Apex predator of wetlands; they control populations of fish, amphibians, and aquatic insects. They serve as excellent indicators of wetland health.

Snowy Egret (smaller feathers), Cattle Egret (smaller, often buff-colored during breeding), American White Pelican (much larger, often with black tips on primaries).

The Great Egret is the symbol of the National Audubon Society; it was chosen because the society was founded to protect these birds from being hunted for their feathers.

Good condition. Minimal fraying at the edges suggest it was a natural molt rather than a forced loss. Tips are slightly worn from wind resistance.