The great egret also known as great white heron. Distributed across most of the tropical and warmer temperate regions of the world. It is the symbol of the National Audubon Society. In breeding plumage, delicate ornamental feathers are borne on the back. Called aigrettes, those plumes were the bane of egrets in the late nineteenth century, when such adornments were prized for ladies’ hats.
大白鷺別名白鷺鷥。分佈在世界上熱帶和溫暖帶地區。它是美國國家奧杜邦協會的標誌。在繁殖期羽毛會生出飾羽於背後。那些羽被稱為“冠羽”。它們在十九世紀後期給白鷺帶來禍害，因為女士會拿來作帽子上的裝飾物。
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Notes 筆記
- The great egret also known as the common egret, large egret, great white egret or great white heron.
- The great egret is a large heron with all-white plumage. It is only slightly smaller than the great blue or grey heron. Distributed across most of the tropical and warmer temperate regions of the world. It has yellow bill and black legs and feet, though the bill may become darker and the lower legs lighter in the breeding season. In breeding plumage, delicate ornamental feathers are borne on the back and a patch of skin on its face turns neon green. Those plumes called aigrettes. They were the bane of egrets in the late nineteenth century, when such adornments were prized for ladies’ hats.
- The Great Egret is the symbol of the National Audubon Society, one of the oldest environmental organizations in North America. Audubon was founded to protect birds from being killed for their feathers.
- Great Egret breeds in colonies in trees close to large lakes with reed beds or other extensive wetlands. It begins to breed at 2–3 years of age by forming monogamous pairs each season. Whether the pairing carries over to the next season is not known. The male selects the nest area, starts a nest, and then attracts a female. The young are fed by regurgitation by both parents.
- Not all young that hatch survive the nestling period. Aggression among nestlings is common and large chicks frequently kill their smaller siblings. This behavior is not uncommon among birds such as hawks, owls, and herons, and is often a result of poor breeding conditions in a given year.
- The great egret feeds in shallow water or drier habitats, feeding mainly on fish, frogs, small mammals, and occasionally small reptiles and insects, spearing them with its long, sharp bill most of the time by standing still and allowing the prey to come within the striking distance of its bill.
- Great Egrets fly slowly but powerfully: with just two wingbeats per second their cruising speed is around 25 miles an hour.
- In mixed-species colonies, Great Egrets are often the first species to arrive, and their presence may induce nesting among other species.
- 大白鷺別名白鷺鷥、鷺鷥、風漂公子、白漂鳥、冬莊。
- 大白鷺是一個大型的，分佈廣泛的白鷺。它有全白色的羽毛，僅比大藍鷺或灰鷺小一點。分佈在世界上熱帶和溫暖帶地區。它有黃色的喙和黑色的腿和腳，在繁殖季節，喙顏色可能會比較深，而小腿顏色會比較淺。 在繁殖期羽毛會生出飾羽於背後。臉上一塊皮膚成了霓虹綠。那些羽被稱為“冠羽”。它們在十九世紀後期給白鷺帶來禍害，因為女士會拿來作帽子上的裝飾物。
- 大白鷺是美國國家奧杜邦協會的標誌，這個協會是北美最早的環保組織之一。奧杜邦的創建是為了保護鳥類不因其羽毛遭殺害。
- 大白鷺是在族群裏繁殖，靠近大湖的蘆葦床或濕地中。它在2至3歲時開始繁殖，每個季節會形成一夫一妻對，這個配對是否會保持到下個季節，目前尚不清楚。雄鷺選擇巢區，開始築巢，然後吸引雌鷺。父母都會用反芻來餵養幼鷺。
- 並非所有孵出的幼鷺都能在雛鳥時期中倖存下來。雛鳥之間的爭鬥很普遍，大一些的雛白鷺經常殺死其較小的兄弟姐妹。這種行為在鷹，貓頭鷹和蒼鷺等鳥類中並不少見，所以這是某些年繁殖條件差的結果。
- 大白鷺在淺水或乾燥的棲息地覓食，主要以魚，青蛙，小型哺乳動物為食，偶爾會吃小型爬行動物和昆蟲。大部分時間靜止不動，讓獵物進入喙能夠搆得到的距離，而用它長而鋒利的喙戳它們。
- 大白鷺飛行緩慢但有力，每秒只有兩個撲棱，速度約為每小時25英里。
- 在混合物種的群體中，大白鷺通常是最先到達的物種，它們的到來可能會誘使其他物種更願意一起築巢。
References 參考資料
- Wikipedia: Great egret
- All about birds: Great Egret
- 維基百科: 大白鹭
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