The elegant Great Egret is a dazzling sight in many a North American wetland. Slightly smaller and
more svelte than a Great Blue Heron, these are still large birds with impressive wingspans. They hunt
in classic heron fashion, standing immobile or wading through wetlands to capture fish with a deadly
jab of their yellow bill. Great Egrets were hunted nearly to extinction for their plumes in the late
nineteenth century, sparking conservation movements and some of the first laws to protect birds.
~ All About Birds