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

Near Threatened

Herons, Pelicans & Ibises

Reddish Egret

Egretta rufescens

Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens) — Herons, Pelicans & Ibises of North America.

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 Canada Birds of Colombia Birds of Costa Rica Birds of Ecuador Birds of Mexico Birds of Peru Birds of the United States Birds of Nova Scotia Birds of Ontario Birds of Alabama

By family

Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Canada Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Colombia Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Costa Rica Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Ecuador Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Mexico Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Peru Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of the United States Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Nova Scotia Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Ontario Herons, Egrets & Bitterns of Alabama

See what's near you right now

The Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens) is a member of the Ardeidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 614 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

NT Near Threatened

Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Pelecaniformes
Family Ardeidae Herons, Bitterns
Genus Egretta
Species rufescens

Where it lives

Southern USA and Caribbean

Quick facts

Weight: 614 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Ardeidae
Order: Pelecaniformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

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

Behaviour

A bird of coastal habitats, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Reddish Egret is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens) is a species of bird in the Ardeidae family, part of the order Pelecaniformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA s USA and Caribbean.

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 614 g, with a wing length of about 31.3 cm and a tail of around 10.3 cm.

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 349,000 km².

Songs & calls

Reddish Egret — Call

Recorded by Isain Contreras Rodríguez Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Reddish Egret?

The Reddish Egret is a large bird that weighs around 614 g.

Where does the Reddish Egret live?

The Reddish Egret is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA s USA and Caribbean, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Reddish Egret belong to?

The Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens) belongs to the Ardeidae family, in the order Pelecaniformes.

What does the Reddish Egret eat?

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

Does the Reddish Egret migrate?

The Reddish Egret is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Reddish Egret endangered?

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

What sound does the Reddish Egret make?

1 real field recording of the Reddish 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 Reddish Egret's range?

The Reddish Egret has a mapped global range of about 349,000 km².