Western Cattle Egret vs Great Blue Heron
Bubulcus ibis compared with Ardea herodias
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Western Cattle Egret | Great Blue Heron |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Bubulcus ibis | Ardea herodias |
| Order | Pelecaniformes | Pelecaniformes |
| Family | Ardeidae | Ardeidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 117.0 cm (46.1 in) |
| Wingspan | 48.9 cm (19.3 in) | 183.0 cm (72.0 in) |
| Weight | 385.68333333333334 g (13.60 oz) | 2400.0 g (84.66 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Primarily fish, also frogs, snakes, small mammals, insects, and other birds. Hunts by standing motionless … |
| Clutch Size | 1-9 | 2-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Western Cattle Egret only
Great Blue Heron only
None
Great Blue Heron
Wetlands of all types including marshes, swamps, riverbanks, lake edges, and coastal shores. Also hunts in fields and meadows.
Song & Call Comparison
Western Cattle Egret
Great Blue Heron
Deep, harsh, croaking 'frahnk-frahnk' call in flight. Also gives low guttural grunts at the nest. Alarmed birds give repeated croaks. Mostly silent for such a large wader.
Geographic Range & Migration
Western Cattle Egret
Great Blue Heron
North and Central America from Alaska and southern Canada to the Caribbean and Galapagos Islands.
Conservation Status
Western Cattle Egret
Great Blue Heron
How to Tell Them Apart
Western Cattle Egret
Great Blue Heron
Blue-grey body with a white head bearing a broad black stripe extending to a long black plume. Rufous-brown thighs. In flight, the neck is folded into an S-shape.
Long, dagger-like yellowish bill
About These Birds
Great Blue Heron
The great blue heron is the largest heron in North America, standing up to 1.4 meters tall. These patient hunters can stand motionless for extended periods before striking at prey with remarkable speed. They nest in large colonies called heronries, often returning to the same site year after year.