Photo: Alpsdake / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Herons, Pelicans & Ibises

Medium Egret

Ardea intermedia

Medium Egret (Ardea intermedia) — Herons, Pelicans & Ibises of Europe & Northern Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australia Birds of Indonesia Birds of India Birds of Japan Birds of Malaysia Birds of the Philippines Birds of Thailand Birds of the United States Birds of Western Australia Birds of Alaska

By family

Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Australia Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Indonesia Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of India Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Japan Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Malaysia Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of the Philippines Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Thailand Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of the United States Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Western Australia Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Alaska

See what's near you right now

The Medium Egret (Ardea intermedia) is a member of the Ardeidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 459 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Pelecaniformes
Family Ardeidae Herons, Bitterns
Genus Ardea
Species intermedia

Where it lives

India to Japan and Greater Sundas

Quick facts

Weight: 459 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Ardeidae
Order: Pelecaniformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Not Evaluated

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Medium Egret hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Medium Egret is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

The Medium Egret (Ardea intermedia) is a member of the Ardeidae family, within the order Pelecaniformes. Its range spans Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, OR India to Japan and Greater Sundas.

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 459 g, with a wing length of about 29.9 cm and a tail of around 11.7 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 5.5 million km².

Songs & calls

Medium Egret — Call

Recorded by Bo Shunqi 薄顺奇 Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Medium Egret?

The Medium Egret is a large bird that weighs around 459 g.

Where does the Medium Egret live?

The Medium Egret is found across Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering PAL, OR India to Japan and Greater Sundas, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Medium Egret belong to?

The Medium Egret (Ardea intermedia) belongs to the Ardeidae family, in the order Pelecaniformes.

What does the Medium Egret eat?

The Medium Egret hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Medium Egret migrate?

The Medium Egret is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

Is the Medium Egret endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Medium Egret make?

1 real field recording of the Medium Egret — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Medium Egret's range?

The Medium Egret has a mapped global range of about 5.5 million km².