In order to enable them to wade in water and catch frogs, fish, and insects to eat, egrets have unusually long legs and beaks. They appear rather elegant when standing, they have wings so broad as to be almost circular, and when they fly they tend to draw in their necks.
為便於涉水和捕捉魚、蛙、昆蟲為食，鷺鷥的腳與嘴比一般鳥長，站立時姿態優雅；牠的翅膀既長又寬，略呈圓形，飛行時頸部彎曲往後縮，拍翅不疾不徐，尤其是白鷺鷥，在大自然中特別醒目，是生態攝影者最愛捕捉的對象之一。