The Charismatic Reddish Egret

Like many wading birds, the reddish egret experienced severe population declines in response to unregulated harvest by plume hunters in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. By the early 1900s, this species was nearly extirpated from the U.S. The population rebounded somewhat with the restriction of plume hunting.

Currently, reddish egrets are found in a thin band of coastal habitat along the Gulf of Mexico as well as in portions of the Pacific coast of Mexico. The reddish egret remains as one of our rarest heron species, with approximately 2,000 pairs in North America. The bulk of the breeding population is found along the Texas Gulf Coast, but does extend into Louisiana and Florida. Little is known about numbers and status of reddish egrets in the Caribbean or Mexico.

The Texas coast, where most of the North American breeding population occurs, has experienced rapid changes in habitat and levels of disturbance in the last few decades, which may impact this species. Due to its rarity and complete reliance on coastal wetlands, the reddish egret has been designated as a threatened species by the state of Texas and listed as a species of concern by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In addition to its rarity, the reddish egret is also one of the least-studied species of heron. Beyond a very basic description of ecology and behavior, there is little information on their population biology. Current monitoring efforts focus solely on conducting annual counts in waterbird colonies, during which U.S. breeding populations of reddish egrets are counted.

The lack of knowledge regarding reddish egret ecology and population dynamics complicates the development of management strategies. Through the newly established Walter Fondren III Fellowship in Shorebird and Wading Bird Research at CKWRI, we have initiated research aimed at addressing several critical information gaps, which need to be filled to aid in the conservation and management of this species. We plan to delineate geographic patterns and determine possible management units among population groups of reddish egrets by analyzing DNA samples from various breeding colonies. In 2006, efforts will be made to estimate survival and dispersal of immature egrets, and to assess reproductive success of colonies along the lower Texas coast. Information gained from this research will increase our knowledge about reddish egrets, which will aid in developing more effective management strategies for this species in Texas.