Heron or Egret

A large white heron, the Great Egret is found across much of the world, from southern Canada southward to Argentina, and in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. It’s the largest egret in the Old World, and thus has garnered the name Great White Egret. In the New World, however, the white form of the Great Blue Heron is larger. In the United States, the Great Egret used to be called the American Egret but that was hardly appropriate, since its range extends beyond the Americas and indeed farther than other herons.

Herons and Egrets are in the same family and look similar, so what is the difference? The name Egret comes from the French ‘aigrette’ meaning the plume feathers of the six species of white Egrets. These are a special breeding plumage only occurring through part of the year. For many years they were popular in the fashion trade. Egrets were the Herons from which ‘aigrettes’ were obtained so causing the death of many birds. The term has since lost its original meaning and is now used to describe various members of the Heron family which do not have these plumes and which are not white.

Sometimes it is okay to be confused on your journey††††nada te turbe†††jim