The Great Egret is a very elegant and slender bird, characterized by long red legs and a thin, straight black bill. Adults have black-and-white plumage, with black wings and a white underbelly. It feeds mainly on small invertebrates that it catches in shallow water. It is a trans-Saharan migrant. It nests in Europe, preferring wetlands such as marshes and lagoons. Breeding occurs in the spring, with 3–4 eggs laid in nests built on the ground near the water.