Herons & Egrets in Cornwall
6 species matching this filter.
Cornwall's diverse wetlands, estuaries, and coastal habitats provide excellent conditions for herons and egrets throughout the year. Six species have been recorded in the county, ranging from the familiar Grey Heron and the now-common Little Egret to scarcer visitors such as the Purple Heron and Great White Egret. The sheltered creeks of the Fal Estuary, the reedbeds of Marazion Marsh, and the Hayle Estuary are among the best spots to observe these elegant waterbirds.
Cattle Egret
Bubulcus ibisLC
A rare but increasingly regular non-breeding visitor, often associating with livestock on Cornish farmland, mainly autumn to spring.
Aug–Apr
Eurasian Bittern
Botaurus stellarisLC
A rare passage visitor, occasionally recorded in February at reedbeds and wetland margins.
Feb
Great White Egret
Ardea albaLC
A rare but increasingly recorded visitor to Cornish wetlands, present mainly from autumn through spring.
Sep–May
Grey Heron
Ardea cinereaLC
A common year-round resident, often seen stalking fish along Cornwall's estuaries, rivers, and rocky shorelines.
Year-round
Little Egret
Egretta garzettaLC
Now a common resident on estuaries and creeks throughout Cornwall. Numbers have increased dramatically since colonising in the 1990s.
Year-round
Purple Heron
Ardea purpureaLC
A rare spring passage visitor, occasionally recorded in April at coastal marshes and reedbeds.
Apr