A Look into the Great Egret’s Nesting Habits ~ raising the next generation!
Normally the Great Egret is a solitary bird, found wading in wetlands looking for food, or standing along the shore resting. Every spring they congregate into colonies at nesting sights known as rookeries, often with other species of wading birds. A Great Egret is a very large bird and they tend to take the highest nesting sights in the trees, bushes, or thickets of the rookery, but not always. Every season is a struggle to pick a nesting sight, build the nest, incubate the eggs, and raise the chicks.
It all starts when a male egret decides it’s time. Nature provides him with seasonal breeding plumage to help attract a female partner. He claims his territory in the rookery, builds the platform of the nesting sight, and proceeds to display his long, silky-like aigrette feathers over and over again until the right bird comes along and says “I’m yours.”
However, the process of picking the nesting sight gets dicey, with other males also looking for the best spot. Lots of squawking and nipping and feathers flying occur over a considerable time period until they all settle into their routine of raising a family. Usually the bigger more aggressive males get their way.
Once the couples have matched up, if you know what I mean :), they both start building the nest together. One will fly off to get another stick, while the other weaves the sticks together like a basket weaver. They share in this responsibility.
Mom and dad will both help incubate the eggs until they hatch. Newly hatched chicks have peach fuzz or downy feathers. It takes them 3 weeks to develop to the point where they are climbing about the nest and getting rowdy.
All the while, mom and dad take turns at flying off to get food to bring back to the nest. When feeding the little ones, the parent will place its beak down into the young birds beaks and regurgitate the food. It always looks like it will harm the youngsters because of the up and down motion of the beak while regurgitation occurs.
As the youngsters hit the three-week mark, mom and dad tend to loosen up a bit, sometimes leaving the young to themselves while they go off looking for food or to fly around for awhile. It’s at this point when the young are really fun to photograph. They are active in the nest and they interact quite a bit. Sometimes the largest juveniles can bully the smaller ones, but most of the time they seem content to sing to each other, nibble on each other’s beak, or stare off into the sky looking for their parents to return.
The anticipation of their next meal really gets them wound up. This is when beak biting starts. Sometimes I don’t know how mom and dad do it. As one gets fed the others bite the beak of the parent, tugging and pulling the parent’s head down toward them.
As the juveniles get toward their fledgling state (6-7 weeks) they get quite strong. Like many parents with teenagers, mom and dad must look forward to becoming “empty nesters”! :)
Throughout this time period, the perils of nature can test these birds to the max. Weather is always a concern, strong winds and damaging storms can do a number on nests. Gators and snakes are always looking for their next meal, which can include wading birds. Only the strong and healthy survive.
Most of the year the thickets of the rookeries are green or brown, but if you’ve seen a rookery during breeding season there can be dozens and dozens of white nesting sites dotting the landscape like ornaments on a Christmas tree. It all tells me that the environment for these beautiful and elegant birds is healthy despite the daily perils they face.
I hope you enjoyed reading about the Great Egret’s nesting habits and seeing my photos from this year’s bumper crop. :)
Thanks for reading my journal and please check back soon to see what’s on my easel next!
“One of the joys of being an artist is having the freedom to follow my passion….”
What’s next?
Drawing by William R. Beebe