Eastern great egret (Ardea alba modesta)

Kuntul besar timur or great white egret or Eastern great egret (Ardea alba modesta) is the Ardeidae of birds and has the largest size in the genus Egretta. Birds like rice fields, mangroves, mudflats and lagoons to eat eels, fish, shrimp, crabs, grasshoppers and dragonfly larvae.

A. a. modesta has a length from head to foot 85 - 105 cm, the whole is white, the beak is heavier, long neck and is in the shape of 'S'. This bird stands tall and pecks the prey from above. Grooving through the rite dancing and chasing the couple. Flying with flapping wings is slow, graceful and full of energy.

When breeding has a hairless blue-green face skin, fine hairs on the body, yellow beak, hairless red thighs and black legs. When not breeding has a yellowish face skin, yellow beak and black tip, black legs and yellow iris.

Eastern great egret lives alone or groups in large colonies with other water birds to nest in trees near watery environments. The nest is built from shallow branches on the top of the tree. The eggs are pale bluish and breed in December-March and February-July for 2-4 eggs.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Ardeidae
Genus: Ardea
Species: A. alba
Subspecies: A. a. modesta

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