The showy mating plumage of the Great Egret includes long, delicate, ornamental plumes on its back called aigrettes, which are fanned out during courtship displays, and vibrant lime-green skin around the eyes (lore). These striking features, which gave the egret its name, appear only during the breeding season and were once nearly responsible for the bird's extinction due to the fashion industry's demand for hat decorations
The showy mating plumage of the Great Egret includes long, delicate, ornamental plumes on its back called aigrettes, which are fanned out during courtship displays, and vibrant lime-green skin around the eyes (lore). These striking features, which gave the egret its name, appear only during the breeding season and were once nearly responsible for the bird's extinction due to the fashion industry's demand for hat decorations