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Reddish Egret

Reddish Egret

Egretta rufescens

Audubon Illustration

Audubon illustration of Reddish Egret

John James Audubon, Birds of America (1827-1838). Public domain.

Migration Flyway

Showing primary migration corridor(s) for this species

Last Spotted Near You

View on eBirdWikipedia

About the Reddish Egret

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. In the past, this bird was a victim of the plume trade and is North America's "rarest and least studied ardeid."

Source: Wikipedia

Classification

Scientific name
Egretta rufescens
Family
Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns
Order
Pelecaniformes

Similar species

Other members of the herons, egrets, and bitterns family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.

  • Agami Heron Agamia agami
  • American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus
  • Bare-throated Tiger-Heron Tigrisoma mexicanum
  • Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
  • Boat-billed Heron Cochlearius cochlearius
  • Chinese Egret Egretta eulophotes
  • Chinese Pond-Heron Ardeola bacchus
  • Eastern Cattle-Egret Ardea coromanda
  • Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris
  • Gray Heron Ardea cinerea
  • Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias
  • Great Egret Ardea alba

Know when the Reddish Egret turns up near you

Add it to your watchlist and draw an alert zone around the places you actually bird. Birdr checks eBird reports and tells you when one is seen inside it.

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