Head to head
Great Egret vs Little Egret
The great egret and little egret often share the same wetlands across the Old World, but a look at size, bill colour, and feet quickly tells them apart.
| Great Egret | Little Egret | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Ardea alba | Egretta garzetta |
| Relative size | Large | Smaller |
| Bill colour | Yellow | Black |
| Feet colour | Black | Bright yellow |
| Native range | Near-global | Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Population trend | Stable | Stable |
| Habitat | Wetlands, coastal | Wetlands, coastal |
Great Egret vs Little Egret: common questions
How can you tell a great egret from a little egret?
Size and bill colour are the clearest clues: the great egret is considerably larger with a yellow bill, while the little egret is smaller with a black bill and bright yellow feet.
Do the great egret and little egret share the same range?
They overlap across much of the Old World, but the great egret has a far wider, near-global distribution that also includes the Americas, while the little egret is restricted to Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.
Why does the little egret stir the water while hunting?
This species uses its bright yellow feet to stir up shallow water, flushing hidden prey into the open before striking, a more active technique than the great egret's slower, more patient stalking approach.