EGRETTA.
White Herons, with ornamental plumes in breeding season, breeding in colonies in morasses (on platform on reeds or on bushes), or in high trees ; eggs 3-4, pale greenish blue.
Egretta alba alba (L.). GREAT WHITE HERON. Pr. Heron aigrette ; Ger. Grosser Silberreiher ; //a/. Airone Bianco maggiore.
? summer. White ; long dorsal plumes drooping over tail ; feathers of neck and breast elongated. Bill black, yellow at base. Facial skin greenish yellow. Legs and feet black in front, yellow behind. Iris yellow. After breeding season dorsal plumes drop off and bill becomes yellow, as it is in young. Wing S 410-465, ? 400-45o. Tarsus 170-215. Bill 110-135, ? 110-132 (\V.).
Breeds.—Hungary, Rumania, Balkan Peninsula, S. Russia (Lower Volga, Ural and Emba), and through Asia to N. China and Japan. Migratory in north of breeding range ; occurs in winter in N. Africa (Algeria to Egypt), India and S. China. Of
occasional occurrence in C., N.W. and S.W. Europe, as far as Britain.
Egretta garzetta garzetta (L.). LITTLE EGRET. Fr. Heron garzette ; Ger. Seidenreiher ; /fa/. Garzetta.
? White ; in breeding season with two long narrow crest feathers, long dorsal plumes, and a tuft of long feathers on breast ; facial skin slaty blue. Bill and legs black, toes yellow. Iris yellow. Wing 250-310. Tarsus 90-115. Bill 73-92.
Breeds. Spain, S. France (Camargue), N.W. Africa, Italy (Po Valley and Tuscany), Hungary, Balkan Peninsula, S. Russia to Volga and Ural, Caucasus, and in Asia to China and Japan ; also through Africa. Migratory in Europe. Of occasional occurrence Madeira, Canaries, Azores, British Isles.