Habitat or Species Feature, January 2022

UK Conservation Status: GREEN

If you regularly walk in Long Meadow or the footpath towards Westwick, you may have seen one or more little egrets, small white herons, perching in the field or swooping low over the stream.

The little egret is a member of the heron family and was rarely seen in Britain till the 1990s. The RSPB first noted a breeding pair on Brownsea Island in Dorset in 1996. Since then, they have gradually moved north and are now quite common throughout England.

Like other members of the heron family, they nest high up in trees and feed mainly on fish but also amphibians, crustaceans, and insects. They have yellow feet which they wiggle in the water to disturb fish, then spear them with their black dagger-like bill.

While egret populations are relatively secure now, they were endangered in the 19th century because their striking head feathers were so often used in ladies’ hats. One woman, Emily Williamson, was appalled by the fashion for feathers and was determined to halt the cruel plumage trade that was killing millions of birds and forcing species into extinction. She decided to take action and began by inviting her friends to tea at her home, where she asked them to sign a pledge to ‘Wear No Feathers’. This action was the first step in creating the Society for the Protection of Birds, which would become the RSPB.

When you see one of the little egrets at Long Meadow, you can thank Emily Williamson for their survival.

To find out more about the little egret the RSPB have a useful guide including a recording of their harsh calls here.

There are two other egret species which are also becoming increasingly common. These are the similar-sized cattle egret which has a yellow bill and the much larger great white egret. All have been seen locally recently. This video from the British Trust for Ornithology will help you identify Little egret in the field