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60cm Identification: there are four mostly white species of egrets in Brazil, the snowy egret can be told apart by its smaller size and also for having the tip of the beak black and for having dark legs with yellow feet. Laypeople usually think this species is a young great egret, however it is technically different enough to be place in another genus. It is bit more demanding than the great egret regarding its habitat necessities, as it does not occur in polluted waters and is more strongly associated to aquatic plants such as the water lily. Its reduced size allows this bird to walk over the aquatic plants without sinking. It feeds mainly on small fishes and tadpoles. The nest is ...

60 a 70 cm. The top of the head, the back and the wings are black and the other parts of the body are mostly grey. The immature is brown and striated. Distribution: All over the world, except from the poles and Australia. Habitat: Slow flowing rivers, lakes, reservoirs and swamps. Diet: Aquatic insects, mollusks, crustaceans, fish, amphibians and reptiles. May also eat carrion and rests of food fallen from other bird’s nests, including dead hatchlings. Reproduction: Breeds in colonies together with other species of herons. The nests are built from 1 to 7m from the ground or water. Lays two or three bluish green or buffy eggs. Natural history: During most of the day it res...

Unmistakably identifiable for being the only Brazilian member of the family to present the white color in its plumage. Belonging to the same family of the legendary Egyptian Ibis, this is certainly an amazing species. Unlike other members of the family it is not associated to water, living in open grasslands and crops where its large silhouette makes it impossible not to be noticed, especially when they gather in groups. It uses its large curved beak to catch invertebrates burried in the soil and may also prey on small vertebrates. Its song is very loud and acute, reminding that of the Seriema ( Cariama cristata ). Couples sing in duets bouncing their heads upwards as they sing. The ...

53 cm. It is a beautiful heron with the upper parts grayish blue, the neck and the ventral region brownish yellow. The face is blue. Distribution: Open areas from Colombia to Argentina. Habitat: Unlike other herons it may be found very far from the water, thriving in open fields and only occasionally in wetlands. Diet: Feeds on mollusks, amphibians, lizards and insects, mainly grasshoppers. Hunts on the ground revolving the earth and grass with its beak. Reproduction: The courtship is very complex, beginning with displays of the male on the ground and then in the air. The nest is very simple and is built on tall trees. Lays 2 to 4 bluish grey eggs. Natural history: It is often...

91cm. The neck and the legs are thin and long. All white, but with iris, beak and legs yellow. Distribution: Throughout the world. Habitat: Lakes, rivers, ponds, reservoirs, swamps, mangroves, estuaries and even polluted rivers. Diet: Eats fishes, amphibians, insects. The author witnessed an egret catching and eating a mouse in a riverbank in Campinas-SP. Reproduction: Breeding takes place generally in the end of the dry season, when the food supply is more abundant for this species. During this period the adults have the egrets that are long feathers used in the courtship. The breeding couples gather in nesting sites that may have hundreds of individuals, sometimes mixing with o...