Great Egret

Large, lanky, long-necked white heron. Size and black legs help separate from other egrets. Widespread and fairly common across the globe. Bill color varies across range: always yellow in the Americas, black in breeding season elsewhere. Occurs in any shallow wetland, including ponds, marshes, and tidal mudflats. Slowly stalks prey in shallow water. Often seen singly, but sometimes gathers in large numbers where food is plentiful. Breeds in colonies, frequently mixed with other egrets and herons.

Great Egret breeds in Sri Lanka. It inhabits a variety of habitats, including wetlands, swamps, marshes, and along the coast.

The great egret's diet consists mainly of fish, but also includes frogs, small reptiles, crustaceans, molluscs, and other invertebrates.