Great Egret (also known as Common Egret, Large Egret, or White Heron)

The Great Egret is a large, dazzling white wading bird with a yellow bill and black legs. Standing nearly 3 feet tall with a wingspan of over 4 feet, it is known for its slow, graceful flight and patient 'stand-and-wait' hunting style. During the breeding season, adults grow long, delicate plumes (like the one pictured) called aigrettes.

Pure white (immaculate). There are no banding patterns or spots. The white is structural, caused by the scattering of light within the feather's keratin structure.

Plumulaceous and loose. The barbs are long, thin, and lack the interlocking barbules (hooklets) found in flight feathers, giving it a wispy, hair-like appearance.

Silky, soft, and extremely lightweight. The surface is matte white and lacks the waxy or oily coating found on waterfowl feathers, as egrets rely on powder down for maintenance.

Pure white color, extreme length, lack of interlocking barbs (wispy texture), and a flexible, slender white rachis.

Freshwater and saltwater wetlands, including marshes, ponds, mudflats, shores, and flooded agricultural fields.

Cosmopolitan distribution; found across most of the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. In North America, they breed in the south and migrate to coastal or southern regions in winter.

Top-tier wetland predator that controls populations of fish, amphibians, and aquatic insects. Its presence is often an indicator of wetland health.

Snowy Egret plumes are shorter and more curved ('recurved'). Mute Swan feathers are much denser and stiffer. Great Blue Heron feathers are similar in shape but are blue-gray or reddish-brown.

The Great Egret is the symbol of the National Audubon Society. It was chosen because the species was nearly hunted to extinction in the late 19th century to provide plumes for the millinery (hat) trade.

Good condition. The barbs appear mostly intact, though there is some minor separation and tangling typical of molted ornamental feathers. No significant sun bleaching is evident.