Egret
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2008-07-16T20:58:18Z
Alanraywiki
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[[WP:UNDO|Undid]] revision 226102181 by [[Special:Contributions/74.60.113.250|74.60.113.250]] ([[User talk:74.60.113.250|talk]])The state bird of Florida is the mockingbird
:''This is an article about a type of bird. For the EGRET satellite mission, see [[Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope]].''
{{Taxobox
| name = Egrets
| image=Ardea alba in ggp.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_caption =
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
| classis = [[bird|Aves]]
| ordo = [[Ciconiiformes]]
| familia = [[Ardeidae]]
| subdivision_ranks = Genera
| subdivision =
''[[Egretta]]''<br>
''[[Ardea (genus)|Ardea]]''
}}
An '''egret''' is any of several [[heron]]s, most of which are white or buff, and several of which develop fine plumes (usually milky white) during the breeding season. Many egrets are members of the [[genus|genera]] ''Egretta'' or ''Ardea'' which contain other species named as herons rather than egrets. The distinction between a heron and an egret is rather vague, and depends more on appearance than biology. The word "egret" comes from the French word "aigrette", referring to the long filamentous feathers that seem to cascade down an egret's back during the breeding season.
Several of the egrets have been moved around from one genus to another in recent years: the [[Great Egret]], for example, has been classified as a member of either ''Casmerodius'', ''Egretta'' or ''Ardea''.
In the 19th and early part of the 20th century, some of the world's egret species were endangered by relentless hunting, since hat makers in [[Europe]] and the [[United States]] demanded massive numbers of egret plumes and breeding birds were killed in locations all around the world.
Several ''Egretta'' species, including the [[Eastern Reef Egret]], the [[Reddish Egret]] and the [[Western Reef Heron|Western Reef Egret]] have two distinct colours, one of which is entirely white. [[Little Blue Heron]] has all-white juvenile plumage.
==Species in taxonomic order==
[[Image:Flying great egret 1.jpg|Flying Great Egret|250px|thumb]]
* [[Great Egret]] or Great White Egret, ''Ardea alba''
* [[Intermediate Egret]], ''Ardea intermedia'' or ''Egretta intermedia''
* [[Cattle Egret]], ''Ardea ibis''
* [[Little Egret]] ''Egretta garzetta''
* [[Eastern Reef Egret]], ''Egretta sacra''
* [[Western Reef Heron|Western Reef Egret]], ''Egretta gularis''
* [[Snowy Egret]], ''Egretta thula''
* [[Reddish Egret]], ''Egretta rufescens''
* [[Slaty Egret]], ''Egretta vinaceigula''
* [[Chinese Egret]], ''Egretta eulophotes''
==External links==
*[http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/Infocenter/i1960id.html Great Egret at the USGS]
[[Category:Ardeidae|*]]
[[Category:herons|*]]
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