Little Egret
Egretta garzetta
See this bird on the water. Private boat tours from Rijeka Crnojevića, your group only.
A small, brilliantly white heron with a black bill, black legs and startling yellow feet — the little egret is one of the easiest birds to pick out on Lake Skadar, and one of the most photogenic.
It is present across the season, with records peaking in April and May and again in July and October. Unlike some of the lake's herons it is active in daylight and not especially shy of a slow-moving boat.
Watch the feet. It hunts by stirring the mud with one bright yellow foot to flush small fish, then striking — a behaviour you can often see clearly from the water.
When to see it on Lake Skadar
Most often recorded in April, May, July and October, from 913 sightings logged on the lake. July is the single strongest month.
- Jan: 16 records
- Feb: 11 records
- Mar: 45 records
- Apr: 123 records
- May: 120 records
- Jun: 107 records
- Jul: 128 records
- Aug: 99 records
- Sep: 99 records
- Oct: 124 records
- Nov: 31 records
- Dec: 9 records
Peak months Other months
Conservation status
Least Concern
Records on the lake
913
Peak season
Apr, May, Jul and Oct
Habitat
Shallow margins and reed edges
Where on the lake
The shallow margins where reed beds meet open water, and along the muddy edges of the river channels. Common on every route; you will usually see several without trying.
How to tell it apart
Black bill and legs with vivid yellow feet — the great egret has a yellow bill and no yellow feet.
