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

This is a elegant white wing feather from a Great Egret, a tall wading bird with a wingspan of up to 5 feet. The bird is entirely white with a yellow bill and black legs.

Pure stark white with no markings, spots, or banding. The feather relies on structural white (refraction of light through air pockets in the barbs) rather than pigment.

Mostly pennaceous and tightly interlocked for flight efficiency, with a small plumulaceous (downy) section at the base near the calamus.

Smooth and somewhat stiff but flexible. The surface has a matte to slightly satiny finish typical of waterbirds.

Large size, pure white coloration, lack of specialized owl-like silencers, and a thick white rachis.

Freshwater and saltwater wetlands, including marshes, ponds, tidal flats, and lake shores.

Globally distributed across tropical and temperate regions; in North America, they breed in the south and migrate to the northern US in summer.

Apex predator in wetland ecosystems, controlling populations of fish, amphibians, and aquatic insects.

Snowy Egret feathers are smaller; Great Blue Heron feathers are slate-gray; Cattle Egret feathers are shorter and may have buff tones.

The Great Egret is the symbol of the National Audubon Society, chosen because the bird was nearly hunted to extinction for its plumes in the 19th century.

Good condition; minor separation of the barbs (venting) suggests it was a naturally molted feather that may have experienced some wind or handling wear.