An egret and a crane are not the same thing but they are similar.
Great egrets are slightly shorter than cranes and sandhill cranes at around 3 to 4 feet tall and egrets are also much more slender than cranes and also have a yellow bill.
The great egret, which is also known as the common egret, large egret, or great white egret or great white heron, is a large, widely distributed egret.
The four subspecies of great egrets are found in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and southern Europe.
And recently, it has also been spreading to more northern areas of Europe
Slightly smaller and more svelte than a Great Blue Heron, great egrets are still large birds with impressive wingspans.
They hunt in classic heron fashion, standing immobile or wading through wetlands to capture fish with a deadly jab of their yellow bill.
Along with their large size, a most prominent feature is the very heavy and mostly yellow bill.
Compared to the superficially similar Great Egret, the Great White is heavier overall and not as bright white, and the legs are dusky pale to grayish yellow.
Great White Egrets can look similar to Little Egrets, but they are much larger - the same size as the familiar Grey Heron.
Egret symbolism is associated with their elegant white plumage, which represents purity and grace in all of its forms.
Seeing an egret can be a sign of new beginnings and positive changes for the better.
The luckiest sighting of an egret on that special day is when one flies overhead during the wedding ceremony.
Within the colony, Great Egrets are territorial and aggressive, defending their space with sharp bill jabs and harsh calls.