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Great Egret (modesta)
Ardea alba modesta Gray, JE 1831
The eastern great egret, a white heron in the genus Ardea, is usually considered a subspecies of the great egret. In New Zealand it is known as the white heron or by its Māori name kōtuku. The subspecies was first described by British ornithologist John Edward Gray in 1831. Source: Wikipedia
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Pelecaniformes
Family:
Ardeidae
Genus:
Ardea
Scientific:
Ardea alba modesta
Classification
Order:Pelecaniformes
Family:
Ardeidae
Genus:
Ardea
Scientific:
Ardea alba modesta
Original description
Citation:
Gray, JE 1831
Reference:
Zool. Miscell. (J.E. Gray)
1 p.19
Protonym:
Ardea modesta
Type locality:
India
Link:
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/198027#page/31/mode/1up
Avibase identifiers
Avibase ID:
8D5A727AF1B2C816
Avibase ID:
avibase-8D5A727A
Short link:
https://avibase.ca/8D5A727A
Taxonomic Serial Number:
TSN: 824022
English:
Great Egret (modesta)
Afrikaans:
Grootwitreier (Australiese)
Arabic:
بلشون ابيض كبير (استرالي)
Azerbaijani:
İri ağ vağ (modesta yarımnövü)
Bulgarian:
Голяма бяла чапла (ssp. modesta)
Catalan:
Agró blanc (modesta)
Czech:
volavka bílá (ssp. modesta)
Danish:
Sølvhejre, Australasiatisk (ssp. modesta)
German:
Silberreiher (modesta)
Greek:
Αργυροτσικνιάς (modesta)
Spanish:
Garceta Grande (australiana)
Spanish (Spain):
Garceta grande (australiana)
Estonian:
hõbehaigur (ssp. modesta)
Basque:
Koartza zuria (modesta)
Persian:
اگرت بزرگ (modesta)
Finnish:
jalohaikara (modesta)
French:
Grande Aigrette (modesta)
Hebrew:
לבנית גדולה (מזרחית)
Croatian:
velika bijela čaplja (modesta)
Indonesian:
Cangak besar (modesta)
Icelandic:
Mjallhegri (modesta)
Japanese (romaji):
daisagi (modesta)
Japanese:
ダイサギ（亜種 チュウダイサギ）
Korean:
중대백로 (modesta)
Lithuanian:
Didysis baltasis garnys (modesta)
Nepali:
ठूलो सेतोबकुल्ला (modesta)
Dutch:
Grote Zilverreiger (Australie-Aziatisch)
Norwegian:
egretthegre (modesta)
Polish:
czapla biała (modesta)
Portuguese (Brazil):
garça-branca (modesta)
Portuguese (Portugal):
Garça-branca-grande (modesta)
Romanian:
Egretă mare (modesta)
Russian:
Большая белая цапля (modesta)
Slovak:
volavka čiernozobá (skup.)
Slovenian:
Velika bela čaplja (modesta)
Serbian:
Velika bela čaplja (modesta)
Swedish:
ägretthäger (modesta)
Thai:
นกยางโทนใหญ่ (ตะวันออก)
Turkish:
Büyük Ak Balıkçıl (modesta)
Ukrainian:
Чепура велика (підвид modesta)
Chinese:
大白鹭（东洋界至澳洲界）
Chinese (Traditional):
大白鷺(modesta)
Great Egret (modesta)
Afrikaans:
Grootwitreier (Australiese)
Arabic:
بلشون ابيض كبير (استرالي)
Azerbaijani:
İri ağ vağ (modesta yarımnövü)
Bulgarian:
Голяма бяла чапла (ssp. modesta)
Catalan:
Agró blanc (modesta)
Czech:
volavka bílá (ssp. modesta)
Danish:
Sølvhejre, Australasiatisk (ssp. modesta)
German:
Silberreiher (modesta)
Greek:
Αργυροτσικνιάς (modesta)
Spanish:
Garceta Grande (australiana)
Spanish (Spain):
Garceta grande (australiana)
Estonian:
hõbehaigur (ssp. modesta)
Basque:
Koartza zuria (modesta)
Persian:
اگرت بزرگ (modesta)
Finnish:
jalohaikara (modesta)
French:
Grande Aigrette (modesta)
Hebrew:
לבנית גדולה (מזרחית)
Croatian:
velika bijela čaplja (modesta)
Indonesian:
Cangak besar (modesta)
Icelandic:
Mjallhegri (modesta)
Japanese (romaji):
daisagi (modesta)
Japanese:
ダイサギ（亜種 チュウダイサギ）
Korean:
중대백로 (modesta)
Lithuanian:
Didysis baltasis garnys (modesta)
Nepali:
ठूलो सेतोबकुल्ला (modesta)
Dutch:
Grote Zilverreiger (Australie-Aziatisch)
Norwegian:
egretthegre (modesta)
Polish:
czapla biała (modesta)
Portuguese (Brazil):
garça-branca (modesta)
Portuguese (Portugal):
Garça-branca-grande (modesta)
Romanian:
Egretă mare (modesta)
Russian:
Большая белая цапля (modesta)
Slovak:
volavka čiernozobá (skup.)
Slovenian:
Velika bela čaplja (modesta)
Serbian:
Velika bela čaplja (modesta)
Swedish:
ägretthäger (modesta)
Thai:
นกยางโทนใหญ่ (ตะวันออก)
Turkish:
Büyük Ak Balıkçıl (modesta)
Ukrainian:
Чепура велика (підвид modesta)
Chinese:
大白鹭（东洋界至澳洲界）
Chinese (Traditional):
大白鷺(modesta)
Authorities recognizing this taxonomic concept:
| Avibase taxonomic concepts (current): Great Egret (modesta) ( Ardea alba modesta) |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 2023 (May 2023): Eastern Great Egret ( Ardea modesta) [version 1] |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 2024 (Oct 2024): Eastern Great Egret ( Ardea modesta) [version 1] |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 2025 (Nov 2025): Great Egret (modesta) ( Ardea alba modesta) |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 01 (August 2013): Eastern Great Egret ( Ardea modesta) [version 1] |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 02 (May 2014): Eastern Great Egret ( Ardea modesta) [version 1] |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 03 (March 2015): Eastern Great Egret ( Ardea modesta) [version 1] |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 04 (Aug 2016): Eastern Great Egret ( Ardea modesta) [version 1] |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 05 (Jan 2017): Eastern Great Egret ( Ardea modesta) [version 1] |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 06 (Feb 2018): Eastern Great Egret ( Ardea modesta) [version 1] |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 07 (Feb 2020): Eastern Great Egret ( Ardea modesta) [version 1] |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 08 (Feb 2021): Eastern Great Egret ( Ardea modesta) [version 1] |
| Avilist 2025: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v5 (Dec 2020): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v6 (Dec 2021): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v6b (Jul 2022): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v7 (Dec 2022): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v8 (Dec 2023): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v9 (Oct 2024): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v10 (Oct 2025): Ardea alba modesta |
| Christidis and Boles (2008): Systematics and Taxonomy of Australian Birds: Eastern Great Egret ( Ardea modesta) |
| Clements, version 2021: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Clements, version 2022: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Clements, version 2023: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Clements, version 2024: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Clements, version 2025: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Clements 5th edition (as published): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Clements 5th edition (incl. 2000 revisions): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Clements 5th edition (incl. 2001 revisions): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Clements 5th edition (incl. 2002 revisions): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Clements 5th edition (incl. 2003 revisions): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Clements 5th edition (incl. 2004 revisions): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Clements 5th edition (incl. 2005 revisions): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Clements 6th edition: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Clements 6th edition (incl. 2007 revisions): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Clements 6th edition (incl. 2008 revisions): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Clements 6th edition (incl. 2009 revisions): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Clements 6th edition (version 6.5 incl. 2010 revisions): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Clements 6th edition (version 6.6 incl. 2011 revisions): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Clements 6th edition (version 6.7 incl. 2012 revisions): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Clements 6th edition (version 6.8 incl. 2013 revisions): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Clements 6th edition (version 6.9 incl. 2014 revisions): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Clements, version 2015: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Clements, version 2016: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Clements, version 2017: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Clements, version 2018: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Clements, version 2019: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| eBird version 1.50: Great Egret (Australasian) ( Ardea alba modesta) [version 1] |
| eBird version 1.52: Great Egret (Australasian) ( Ardea alba modesta) [version 1] |
| eBird version 1.53: Great Egret (Australasian) ( Ardea alba modesta) [version 1] |
| eBird version 1.54: Great Egret (Australasian) ( Ardea alba modesta) [version 1] |
| eBird version 1.55: Great Egret (Australasian) ( Ardea alba modesta) [version 1] |
| eBird version 2015: Great Egret (Australasian) ( Ardea alba modesta) [version 1] |
| eBird version 2016: Great Egret (Australasian) ( Ardea alba modesta) [version 1] |
| eBird version 2017: Great Egret (Australasian) ( Ardea alba modesta) [version 1] |
| eBird version 2018: Great Egret (Australasian) ( Ardea alba modesta) [version 1] |
| eBird version 2019: Great Egret (Australasian) ( Ardea alba modesta) [version 1] |
| eBird version 2021: Great Egret (Australasian) ( Ardea alba modesta) [version 1] |
| eBird version 2022: Great Egret (Australasian) ( Ardea alba modesta) [version 1] |
| eBird version 2023: Great Egret (modesta) ( Ardea alba modesta) [version 1] |
| eBird version 2024: Great Egret (modesta) ( Ardea alba modesta) [version 1] |
| eBird version 2025: Great Egret (modesta) ( Ardea alba modesta) [version 1] |
| Howard and Moore 2nd edition: Egretta alba modestus [version 1] |
| Howard and Moore 3rd edition (as published): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 1.2): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 2.1): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 3.1): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 4): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 5): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 6): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 7): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 8): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Howard and Moore 4th edition (vol. 1-2): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Howard and Moore 4th edition (incl. corrigenda vol.1-2): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Handbook of the Birds of the World (vol 1-16): Egretta alba modesta [version 1] |
| Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (31/01/2015): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (03/07/2017): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Handbook of the Birds of the World and Birdlife (Dec 2017): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Handbook of the Birds of the World and Birdlife (Dec 2018): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 1.6: Eastern Great Egret ( Ardea modesta) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 1.7: Eastern Great Egret ( Ardea modesta) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 2.0: Eastern Great Egret ( Ardea modesta) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 2.1: Eastern Great Egret ( Ardea modesta) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 2.2: Eastern Great Egret ( Ardea modesta) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 2.3: Eastern Great Egret ( Ardea modesta) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 2.4: Eastern Great Egret ( Ardea modesta) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 2.5: Eastern Great Egret ( Ardea modesta) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 2.6: Eastern Great Egret ( Ardea modesta) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 2.7: Eastern Great Egret ( Ardea modesta) [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 3.1: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 3.2: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 3.3: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 3.4: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 3.5: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 4.1: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 4.2: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 4.3: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 4.4: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 5.1: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 5.2: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 5.3: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 5.4: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 6.1: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 6.2: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 6.3: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 6.4: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 7.1: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 7.2: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 7.3: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 8.1: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 8.2: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 9.1: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 9.2: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 10.1: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 10.2: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 11.1: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 11.2: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 12.1: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 12.2: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 13.1: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 13.2: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 14.1: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 14.2: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| IOC World Bird Names, version 15.1: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Peters' Check-list of the Birds (2nd edition): Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Zoonomen - Zoological Nomenclature Resource: Ardea alba modesta [version 1] |
| Zoonomen - Zoological Nomenclature Resource: Ardea modesta [version 1] |
Taxonomic status:
Species status: subspecies (candidate for split)
This taxon is a subspecies of
Ardea alba
Your sightings
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Other synonyms
See also the taxonomic synonyms table.
Afrikaans: Grootwitreier (Australiese)
Arabic: بلشون ابيض كبير (استرالي)
Asturian: Garcia blanca (modesta)
Azerbaijani: İri ağ vağ (modesta yarımnövü)
Bulgarian: Голяма бяла чапла (ssp. modesta)
Bengali: ফড় ফগা , বড় বগা
Bengali (transliteration): baṛa bagā
Catalan: Agró blanc (modesta)
Czech: volavka bílá (ssp. modesta)
Danish: Sølvhejre, Australasiatisk (ssp. modesta)
German: Silberreiher (modesta), Silberreiher-modesta
Greek: Αργυροτσικνιάς (modesta)
English: Eastern Great Egret, Eastern Large Egret, Great Egret (Australasian), Great Egret (modesta), Great white egret, White Heron
English (Australia): Great Egret (Eastern/Australasian)
[ENAV]: Great Egret (modesta)
English (United Kingdom): Great White Egret (Australasian)
English, HBW: Great White Egret (Australasian)
[ENHK]: Great Egret (modesta)
English (IOC): Great Egret (Australasian)
English (Kenya): Great White Egret (Australasian)
English (New Zealand): White Heron (Australasian), White Heron (modesta)
English (UAE): Great Egret (Australasian)
English (United States): Great Egret (Australasian)
Esperanto: Orienta egretardeo
Spanish: Garceta Grande (australiana), Garza Blanca (modesta)
Spanish (Argentine): Garza Blanca (modesta)
Spanish (Chile): Garza grande (modesta)
Spanish (Costa Rica): Garceta Grande (modesta)
Spanish (Cuba): Garzón blanco (modesta)
Spanish (Ecuador): Garceta Grande (Blanca) (modesta)
Spanish (Spain): Garceta grande (australiana), Garceta Grande (modesta)
Spanish (HBW): Great Egret (Australasian)
Spanish (Honduras): Garzón Blanco (modesta)
Spanish (Mexico): Garza Blanca (modesta)
Spanish (Panama): Garceta Grande (modesta)
Spanish (Peru): Garza Grande (modesta)
Spanish (Puerto Rico): Garza Real (modesta)
Spanish (Paraguay): Garza blanca (modesta)
Spanish (Uruguay): Garza Blanca Grande (Subesp. modesta)
Spanish (Venezuela): Garza Blanca Real (modesta)
Estonian: hõbehaigur (ssp. modesta)
Basque: Koartza zuria (modesta)
Persian: اگرت بزرگ (modesta)
Finnish: jalohaikara (modesta)
Faroese: Silvurhegri (modesta)
French: Aigrette d'Australasie, Grande Aigrette (Australasie), Grande Aigrette (modesta), Héron d'Australasie
French (Guyane): Grande Aigrette (modesta)
Galician: Garza branca (modesta)
Hebrew: לבנית גדולה (מזרחית)
Croatian: velika bijela čaplja (modesta)
Armenian: Սպիտակ մեծ տառեղ (modesta)
Indonesian: Cangak besar (modesta)
Icelandic: Mjallhegri (modesta)
Italian: Airone bianco maggiore
Japanese (romaji): Dai-sagi, daisagi (modesta)
Japanese: ダイサギ (modesta), ダイサギ（亜種 チュウダイサギ）, チュウダイサギ, チュウダイサギ (modesta)
Kazakh: Үлкен аққұтан (modesta)
Korean: *중대백로, 중대백로, 중대백로 (modesta)
Kirghiz: Чоң ак кытан (modesta)
Scientific: Ardea alba modesta, Ardea alpina modesta, Ardea flavirostris, Ardea modesta, Ardea modesta modesta, Casmerodius alba modesta, Casmerodius albus modesta, Egretta alba modesta, Egretta alba modestus, Egretta albus modesta, Egretta modesta, Herodias syrmatophorus
Lithuanian: Didysis baltasis garnys (modesta)
Maori: Kotuku
Nepali: ठूलो सेतोबकुल्ला (modesta)
Dutch: Grote Zilverreiger (Australie-Aziatisch), Oostelijke Grote Zilverreiger
Norwegian: egretthegre (modesta)
Polish: czapla biała (modesta)
[PTAO]: Garça-branca-grande (modesta)
Portuguese (Brazil): garça-branca (modesta)
Portuguese (Portugal): Garça-branca-grande (modesta)
Romanian: Egretă mare (modesta)
Russian: Большая белая цапля (modesta), Восточная белая цапля, Цапля восточная белая
Slovak: volavka čiernozobá, volavka čiernozobá (skup.), volavka snehobiela
Slovenian: Velika bela čaplja (modesta)
Albanian: Ҫafka e madhe e bardhë (modesta)
Serbian: Velika bela čaplja (modesta)
Swedish: ägretthäger (modesta)
Tamil: Peria Kokku
Thai: นกยางโทนใหญ่ , นกยางโทนใหญ่ (modesta), นกยางโทนใหญ่ (ตะวันออก)
Turkish: Büyük Ak Balıkçıl (modesta)
Ukrainian: Чепура велика (підвид modesta)
Vietnamese: Cò ngàng lớn
Chinese: 大白鹭, 大白鹭（东洋界至澳洲界）, 大白鹭（澳洲界）
[ZHHK]: 大白鷺 (modesta)
Chinese (Traditional): 大白鷺(modesta), 大白鷺(東亞澳)
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