Andrew Bennett

Very large breeding range: S Eurasia, Africa, Oceania; absent at high latitudes and altitudes and in deserts (BirdLife International 2021). Behaviour from resident to partial migrant or migratory, also in Europe. Increasing population, progressively colonizing areas located further north (1st confirmed breeding in UK in 1996) (Lock & Cook 1998).

Season of assessment

B

Population trendDecreasing
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		121000-190000,146000
Red List categoryLC
Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
Map

Overall Connectivity for Little Egret

Most of the movements are linked to short- to medium-distance dispersal patterns, with only some constituting true migrations. Note that the species has a high degree of sedentary, both in the N and S populations. Circular (random) dispersal; longer-distance displacements in S-W-SW directions, registered in practically all populations, to N Africa and the Sahelian belt in W Africa. Some birds found to perform trans-oceanic flights to central or S America and the Macaronesian archipelagos [Valverde & Weickert 1956, Murphy 1992). Populations from W Europe tend to overwinter in regions further to the W as compared to populations from E Europe, but yet there is overlap of populations in winter. Overall, the degree of connectivity seems to be small for those individuals which perform true migratory movements. The climate warming, with higher temperatures in winter in Europe, promotes resident/short-distance dispersal patterns in detriment of long-distance migrations (Zwarts et al. 2009).

Recoveries by Condition for Little Egret

Currently, most (ca. 75%) recoveries linked to birds seen alive identified from leg ring(s). Before 1960, a remarkable proportion of recovery data were due to dead recoveries by shot (>40%). This is pattern general for all Europe. Overall, most recoveries associated to colour-ringed birds; hence leg rings play a fundamental role to analyse the species’ movement patterns in Europe.

Annual Movements for Little Egret

Post-natal/-breeding dispersal/migration seems to start as early as Jun (this probably more linked to dispersal and not to true migratory movements), though mostly from Jul to Aug. Arrival to wintering areas already since Sep; recoveries in Africa from Sep to Apr, most from Nov to Feb. Some birds found in Africa even in Jun, likely non-breeding (summering) birds (no evidence supporting that this might be natal dispersal).

Connectivity by Month by Region for Little Egret

C/SC European egrets ringed in colonies up to Jul; recoveries outside already in Aug, reflecting dispersal rather than true migration. Some of these birds show, however, true long-distance migrations, mostly across a NE-SW axis, with recoveries in Africa from Sep to Jan (both in N Africa and along the Sahelian belt). A similar pattern is detected for the NW European egrets. Recoveries outside this region mostly from Oct to Feb, from Açores to Lybia; exceptionally, a bird seen in Iceland in Oct. Populations from W/SW Europe, again, show a similar pattern. Long-distance movements across a NE-SW axis, with recoveries in NW-W Africa, the Canary archipelago and some islands from C/S America. These long-distance recoveries happen mostly from Aug to Feb, yet birds are detected in Africa in spring/summer.

Juan Arizaga

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
BirdLife International2021 . Species factsheet: Egretta garzetta.
Lock, L., Cook, K.1998 . The Little Egret in Britain: a successful colonist. 91British Birds: 273–280
Murphy, W. L.1992 . Notes on the occurrence of the Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) in the Americas, with reference to other Palearctic vagrants. 15Colonial Waterbirds: 113–123
Valverde, J. A., Weickert, P.1956 . Sobre la migración de varias garzas españolas. 8Munibe: 1–23
Zwarts, L., Bijlsma, R. G., van der Kamp, J., Wymenga, E. 2009 . Living on the edge: Wetlands and birds in a changing Sahel. KNNV Publishing, Zeist

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