Bird Album
Reddish Egret
Egretta rufescens (Gmelin, JF, 1789)
614 gWeight
The reddish egret (Egretta rufescens) is a medium-sized heron that is a resident breeder in Central America, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, the Gulf Coast of the United States (primarily Texas), and Mexico.
Busiest months: January and April · Most records: United States, Mexico, Cuba
Where and when it's recorded
Busiest months: January and April · Most records: United States, Mexico, Cuba
Reddish Egret has been recorded at 308 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 27 countries and regions.
Records by month Northern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Merritt Island NWR – Black Point Wildlife DriveUnited States13,266 records
- Fort De Soto ParkUnited States11,905 records
- South Padre Is. – Birding and Nature CenterUnited States9,125 records
More places
- South Padre Is. – WBC/Conv. Center/Laguna Madre TrailUnited States8,432 records
- J. N. Ding Darling NWR – Wildlife DriveUnited States8,357 records
- Bolsa Chica Ecological ReserveUnited States7,906 records
- Bolivar Flats Shorebird SanctuaryUnited States6,349 records
- San Diego River mudflatsUnited States6,214 records
- San Carlos Bay/Bunche Beach PreserveUnited States5,513 records
- Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Ctr.United States5,366 records
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The reddish egret (Egretta rufescens) is a medium-sized heron that is a resident breeder in Central America, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, the Gulf Coast of the United States (primarily Texas), and Mexico. The egret is known for its unusual foraging behavior compared to other herons as well as its association with mud flats, its habitat of choice.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Reddish Egret?
The Reddish Egret weighs around 614 g.
Where does the Reddish Egret live?
Its breeding range: North America, Middle America: southern USA and Caribbean. It is most often recorded in United States, Mexico and Cuba.
When is the best time to see the Reddish Egret?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in January and April (Northern Hemisphere).
Is the Reddish Egret endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Reddish Egret as Near Threatened.
What does the Reddish Egret eat?
Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.
What family is the Reddish Egret in?
It belongs to the family Herons, Bitterns (Ardeidae), order Pelecaniformes.
At a glance
- Weight
- 614 g
- Habitat
- Coast & tidal flats
- Diet
- Fish, shrimp & shellfish
- Lifestyle
- Active on the ground
- Migration
- Resident (barely migrates)
- Conservation
- Near Threatened
More measurements
- Wing
- 313 mm
- Tail
- 103 mm
- Bill
- 102 mm
- Tarsus
- 144 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
North America, Middle America: southern USA and Caribbean
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
- Family
- Herons, Bitterns Ardeidae
- Genus
- Egretta
Other birds in the genus Egretta
Little Blue HeronEgretta caerulea
Tricolored HeronEgretta tricolor
Slaty EgretEgretta vinaceigula
Black HeronEgretta ardesiaca
Pacific Reef HeronEgretta sacra
Chinese EgretEgretta eulophotes
Snowy EgretEgretta thula
Little EgretEgretta garzetta
Western Reef HeronEgretta gularis
Pied HeronEgretta picata
White-faced HeronEgretta novaehollandiae
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Paul Cools. ↗
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