Cornish Biodiversity Network  -  Supporting Wildlife Recording

   A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z restore

Cornish Red Data (2009)

The descriptive text, below the map, is from the Cornish Red Data Book (2009). The map on this web page depicts the organisms distribution and shows the records made pre-2000 and those made since.

Egretta garzetta - Little Egret



Range & Status

Old World; in Europe chiefly a Mediterranean species but has spread north to colonise Brittany in 1980. In Britain and Ireland, until 1989 a rare but annual visitor; the first of a growing series of influxes appeared in late summer 1989.

Regional Distribution

Until 1989 regarded as a rare visitor to Cornwall and the UK in general, but following a series of influxes, coupled with small breeding numbers building up on some Cornish estuaries, Little Egrets have become one of our most familiar water birds. Its success has been attributed to global warming. Whatever the reasons, it seems here to stay and is hardly now a Red Data species. An avenue of research that needs investigating is the effect, if any, on its relationship with Grey Herons, which seem to have declined as the egrets have increased. Isles of Scilly: now annual in small numbers. Bred in 2006 and possibly in 2007.

Habitat & Ecology

Favours small tidal creeks, roosting on saltings and trees at high tides. Typically seen singly but flies to communal night roosts; at one Lynher roost Evergreen Oak Quercus ilex is favoured in winter. The presence of summering birds close to heronries indicates a potential for colonisation (Reay, 1994).

Threats

The only obvious threat would be prolonged periods of severe winter weather, but

dependency on tidal waters permits ice-free feeding even in cold winters.

Conservation

Monitoring of numbers. Most sites are SSSI. The Tamar complex has been promoted for SPA status; part of it is a Cornwall Wildlife Trust reserve. Listed (long list) as a globally threatened/declining species (BSGR, 1995).



Click here to see Aphotoflora images by David Fenwick

Source:

I.J. Bennallick, S. Board, C.N. French, P.A. Gainey, C. Neil, R. Parslow, A. Spalding and P.E. Tompsett. eds. 2009. Red Data Book for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. 2nd Edition.Croceago Press.

The Cornish Red Data Book Project was led by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Federation for Biological Recorders (CISFBR). The full text and species accounts (minus the maps) are available on the CISFBR website.



Cornish Biodiversity Network. 2017.