Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Great Egret

I have a new 2 acre pond stockedin May with 500 3"coppernose,200 3"red ear, 100 6 " channel cats 10# of fat head minnows. The red ear and coppernose have spawned recently.
I have one to three Great Egrets which visit for about 1/2 a day and work the shallows.
What impact does these bird have or my pond? What is the largest size fish do the eat 3", 6" or larger? Thanks for your help in advance.

Great egret??? Maybe a Great Blue Heron? Here's a link which may answer some questions:

http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=19;t=000018

Ric, why did you put question marks by Great Egret, Ardea alba? We get them in our shallow wetland as far north as South Dakota. Many people have bird books and this is certainly an easy species to identify.

thanks but i have had the great blue problem, these are the large white egrets yellow beak and with yellow legs.

per the birds of texas book it is called a great egret,looks like the snowey egret but that one has a black beak.

Just one of the many times I shouldn't have responded.
Maybe you can help David with his problem??

We certainly don't get Great Egrets in Wisconsin, but if they are anything like the Herons or the Egrets we do get up here the problem is not the fish that they eat, it's the fish they try to eat. If they eat small fish they just do the job you are looking to have your predators do anyway. I just hate finding my nicest and largest fish dead with holes in them or big cuts on each side of them. There isn't much limit on what size fish they will try to catch. My Hybrid Bluegills are completely gone. I think Cecil shares my love for the birds for the same reason. Just like any hunter I respect what they catch to eat but despise what they wound and leave to die.

I read with interest your comments on the herons. We have a 2 year old smaller pond (1/4 acre) We initially stocked our pond with hybrid bluegills and a few catfish. The bluegills took off great and by this spring we were catching softball size fish regularly. Since the pond is on a natural spring we also have creek chubs by the thousands. We've started having a regular visit by a single heron and I figured he was working over the many creek chubs. That was until I noticed that after his visits 2 or 3 of my bluegills would show up dead or dying with punctures or cuts on their sides. My wife has since added some large koi to the pond and we can tell when the bird has visited during the day. The koi which usually come to feedings with abandon will be shy and very flighty when the heron has been at the pond. Tonight while feeding the koi he flew up and landed in a tree and watched with interest while we feed the fish. I finally clapped my hands enough to encourage him to leave. They are beautiful birds and I don't deny him his right to survive...just not at the expense of my fish!

You may want to try a Heron decoy. If you put one out and move it every so often they will not visit the pond. Herons are very teritorial and will not visit a pond that is someone elses turf. It has worked on many ponds up here in NY. The decoy usually is about $60 but alot less expensive than restocking and trying to re-balance your pond.

As for the Great Egret, I do not believe they are as territorial as the Heron and am not sure how to keep them away other than an electronic eye tied to a noise making device such as a air cannon. I haven't tried such things because up until recently we have only had the Blue Herons up this way. I have seen one Egret up in the area now and am hoping I don't have to go that route myself.