Egret

Egret

This data is reviewed by the project of data compilation and application of Science Encyclopedia of science popularization in China.

Egret (English Name: Little Egret): there are 13 species of birds in the genus egret, including big egret, middle egret, little egret and yellow billed egret. Their body feathers are all white, and they are commonly known as "egrets". These four egrets are all white egrets of medium size (45-90cm). It differs from the ox egret in its large and thin body, black mouth and legs, yellow toes, pure white reproductive feathers, slender ornamented feathers on the nape of the neck, and coir like feathers on the back and chest. The big egret is large and has neither crest nor breast plume; the middle egret is medium and has no crest but breast plume; the little egret and the Yellow billed egret are small and have both crest and breast plume.

morphological character

These four egrets are all white egrets of medium size (45-90cm). It differs from the ox egret in its large and thin body, black mouth and legs, yellow toes, pure white reproductive feathers, slender ornamented feathers on the nape of the neck, and coir like feathers on the back and chest.

Great Egret

The adult of summer feather is milky white in body, black in mouth, with short crest on the head, with long coir feather forming clumps between the shoulders, extending backward, usually more than 10 cm above the tip of tail feather, sometimes not more than 90 cm; the base of the stem of coir feather is tough, gradually smaller to the end of the feather, with slender and scattered feather branches; the adult of winter feather has no coir feather on the back and has no head The iris is pale yellow. This Heron lives on the seashore, paddy field, lake, mangrove and other wetlands. It is often mixed with other herons and cormorants. The Great Egret only moves in the daytime, its neck shrinks into S-shape when walking, and so does its neck when flying, with its feet extending backward beyond its tail. During reproduction, the skin of the eye rim, the exposed part of the eyes and the mouth are black, and the base of the mouth is green black; the exposed part of the tibia is reddish gray, and the feet and toes are black. During the period of winter feather, the mouth is yellow, the eyes are exposed first, and the part is yellow green.

Chinese Egret

The body length is 60-70 cm, the body is white, the eyes are bright yellow, the iris is light yellow, the feet and toes are black, the back and the lower part of the front neck of the breeding feather have coir shaped ornamented feathers, the back of the head has less obvious crown feathers, and the mouth is black. It inhabits and moves in rivers, lakes, paddy fields, seashore and shallow water on the Bank of ponds. They often live alone, in pairs or in small groups. Sometimes they mix with other herons. They are timid and fly when they see people from a long distance. During the flight, the neck is shrunk into an "s" shape, the feet are stretched straight back and beyond the tail, the wings are agitated slowly, the flight is leisurely, and the flight is in a straight line. It mainly feeds on small fish, shrimp, frog, locust, mole cricket and other animals. Chinese Egret is a summer migratory bird in South China, and some of them live through the winter.

little egret

Slender and milky white: when the adult birds of summer feather breed, there are two long and soft spear shaped feathers on the pillow, which are like double braids; when the adult birds of summer feather breed, there are coir feathers on the shoulders and chest, which often fall off in winter, and the iris is yellow; the exposed part of the face is yellow green, the mouth is black, the crack of the mouth and the base of the lower mouth are light yellow; the shins and feet are black, and the toes are yellow green. Usually referred to as little egret. Egrets often inhabit in paddy fields, swamps, ponds, and mangroves in coastal shoals. Often curl one foot in the abdomen, only one foot independent. During the day, they feed on small fish, frogs, shrimps and insects. The breeding period is from March to July. They breed in groups, often with other herons. Both males and females take part in nesting. The next year, they often go to the old nest to repair and use it again. Egg blue green, smooth shell. Male and female hold eggs together. The eggs hatched in 23 days.

The Chinese Egret

Also known as egret or Tang egret, it is a medium-sized wading bird, 46-65cm in length, 320-650g in weight and slightly smaller in female. Its posture is very elegant, slender and slender, mouth, neck, feet are very long, light body, conducive to flying. It was covered with white feathers, spotless, and proud. But the color of the feather also has great changes in summer and winter. In summer, the mouth is orange yellow, the feet are black, the toes are yellow, and the eyes are blue at first. There are many spear shaped crown feathers composed of long white feathers in the occipital part, the longest two of which are more than 10 cm long, like a pair of thin braids, floating in the wind, beautiful and moving. On the back, shoulder and lower part of the front neck, there are long coir like ornamented feathers with scattered feather branches, so it is called "coir feather", which extends backward beyond the end of the tail feather, while the coir feather at the base of the front neck hangs down to the lower chest, just like a silk thread. At the base of chest, waist and thigh, there is a kind of special feather, which becomes powder and can keep growing. The tip is broken into powder particles. Just like talcum powder, it can remove the fish mucus and other dirt adhering to the body feather and play the role of cleaning feathers. In winter, the mouth becomes dark brown, the base of the lower mouth is yellow, the eyes are yellowish green, the feet are yellowish green, and the coir like plumes on the back, shoulders and front neck have all disappeared.

Habitat

It inhabits in coastal islands, coasts, bays, estuaries and rivers, lakes, ponds, streams, paddy fields and swamps near the coast. Single, paired or integrated small group activities can be seen, occasionally there are dozens of large groups together. During the day, they often fly to streams, rivers, salt fields and rice fields near the coast for activities and foraging.

Life habit

Egrets have high feather value, and most of the feathers are white. There are long and decorative wedding feathers in breeding season. Their habits are similar to those of other herons, but some species have courtship performances, including showing off their feathers. As a result, they are on the verge of extinction due to human overhunting. It is a wading bird that preys on small fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and crustaceans in shallow water. Build large, messy nests on trees or shrubs, or on the ground.

It mainly feeds on small fish, shrimp, crab, tadpole and aquatic insects. It usually walks in the river, salt field or paddy field and pecks while walking. Its long mouth, long neck and long legs are very convenient for preying on animals in the water. When hunting, it wades gently and walks forward. Its eyes keep looking at the small animals in the water. Then it suddenly uses its long mouth to peck into the water and pecks the food into its mouth accurately. Sometimes, they often stand at the edge of the water, waiting for the opportunity to prey on passing fish.

Distribution range

There are 20 species of Ardeidae in China, among which egret is the most precious. Sanduoqiao village, Baishiyi Town, Jiulongpo District, Chongqing has the first Egret Nature Reserve in China. There are more than 20000 Herons in the area. There are 10 types of Herons in Xiamen, accounting for 50% of the total species of Ardeidae in China. There are 5 species of egret in Xiamen, which reflects the geographical location and wetland environment of Xiamen, and the distribution of egret resources is typical and representative. In recent years, the number of egrets in Xiamen is as high as 30000 every year. According to the international standards, the intertidal zone and the lake surrounding Xiamen are important wetlands for egrets in China and the world. Egrets are also distributed in Zaolin Bay, Yizheng City, Jiangsu Province. After the impoundment of the Three Gorges Dam, it has become an important habitat for water birds and egrets, which has greatly changed the distribution of egrets in China. Make it one of the bird watching resorts.

Mode of reproduction

The breeding season is from May to July every year. It nests on the rocks near the coastal islands and coastal overhanging rocks or between the short branches. They like to nest together in groups. Someone once found 14 nests on the top of a hanging rock with an area of only about 20 square meters, and there are 11 nests on the top of an adjacent hanging rock with an area of only more than 10 square meters. The distance between each nest is only 14-76 cm. The nest is of shallow dish shape and simple structure, mainly composed of withered grass stems and leaves. Nests are built on low trees, and the highest ones are not more than 1 meter above the ground. Some nests are built in the grass under the low trees. Each nest lays 2-4 eggs. The shape of the eggs is oval and the color is light blue. The incubation period is 24-26 days.

Protection status

Egret is one of the species listed in cites. Egret has been listed in the agreement between the government of the people's Republic of China and the government of Japan on the protection of migratory birds and their habitats. Egret is one of the most common species of egrets, commonly referred to as egret, and belongs to the species listed in the Convention on international trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and flora. Egret with yellow beak is one of the second level protected animals in China. Egret is an endangered species in the world.

Yellow billed egret was once a common summer migratory bird in the coastal areas of southern China, especially in the coastal areas from Shantou, Guangdong Province to Fuzhou, Fujian Province. In the 1960s, it was also found in Yalu River in Northeast China and Hunchun in Eastern Jilin Province. In the early 1980s, more than 200-300 pairs of nesting population were found in Liaodong Peninsula and coastal islands, and dozens of large groups were often found along the coast Foraging in near water. However, due to the destruction of the environment and human disturbance, especially because its pure white hairy feathers and coir raindrops are extremely valuable ornaments, the number of annual hunting is very large, so the number of population has decreased significantly recently. As a result, its population is decreasing, which has become very rare. According to the survey of waterfowl in mid winter of Asia organized by the international waterfowl Research Bureau in 1990 and 1992, only 143 waterfowls were found in China in 1992, and 448 in Southeast Asia. At present, yellow billed egret has been listed in the world's Red Book of endangered birds by the International Committee for the protection of birds (ICBP), and China has listed it as a national class II protected animal.

Chinese PinYin : Bai Lu