27 lines
1.3 KiB
XML
27 lines
1.3 KiB
XML
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
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<xml>
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<p>
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An egret is any of several herons, most of which are white or buff,
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and several of which develop fine plumes (usually milky white) during
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the breeding season. Many egrets are members of the genera Egretta or
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Ardea which also contain other species named as herons rather than
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egrets. The distinction between a heron and an egret is rather vague,
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and depends more on appearance than biology. The word "egret" comes
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from the French word "aigrette" that means both "silver heron" and
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"brush," referring to the long filamentous feathers that seem to
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cascade down an egret's back during the breeding season.
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</p>
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<p>
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Several of the egrets have been reclassified from one genus to another
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in recent years: the Great Egret, for example, has been classified as
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a member of either Casmerodius, Egretta or Ardea. In the 19th and
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early part of the 20th century, some of the world's egret species were
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endangered by relentless plume hunting, since hat makers in Europe and
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the United States demanded large numbers of egret plumes, leading to
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breeding birds being killed in many places around the world. Several
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Egretta species, including the Eastern Reef Egret, the Reddish Egret
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and the Western Reef Egret have two distinct colours, one of which is
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entirely white. Little Blue Heron has all-white juvenile plumage.
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</p>
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</xml>
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