
Little Egret
The little egret (Egretta garzetta) is a species of small heron in the family Ardeidae.
Species insights
Recorded year-round
Recorded in every month, so no month is the wrong month to look. We would rather say that than invent a best time.
Curve from 3,713 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.
Western Cape and beyond
Provinces where Little Egret is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
3,713 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Little Egret
Stays that give back
Across the Northern Cape
Little Egret recorded here
Little Egret recorded here
Little Egret recorded here
Little Egret recorded here
Little Egret recorded here
Little Egret recorded here
Little Egret recorded here
Little Egret recorded here
Little Egret recorded here
Little Egret recorded here
Little Egret recorded here
Little Egret recorded here
Little Egret recorded here
Little Egret recorded here
Little Egret recorded here
South Africa's vast inland heart: silence, stars, and wide horizons
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Little Egret
Hosts have recorded the Little Egret at stays in or beside Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park and Tankwa Karoo National Park.
Best hours of the day
- The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
- Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Species
Egretta garzetta
Records
3,713
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Little Egret on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Little Egret in Northern Cape?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Little Egret at stays in or beside Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, Tankwa Karoo National Park and Augrabies Falls National Park. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Little Egret in South Africa?
The Little Egret is most recorded in Western Cape (59% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (14% of records), Mpumalanga (8% of records), based on 3,713 iNaturalist observations. 15 places to stay on Spekboom in Northern Cape have recorded the Little Egret on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Little Egret?
The Little Egret is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May; Tankwa Karoo National Park: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Augrabies Falls National Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Little Egret?
The little egret (Egretta garzetta) is a species of small heron in the family Ardeidae. The genus name comes from the Provençal French Aigrette, "egret", a diminutive of Aigron," heron". The species epithet garzetta is from the Italian name for this bird, garzetta or sgarzetta.

























