great white heron

American  

noun

1. a large white heron, Ardea occidentalis, of Florida and the Florida Keys.

2. a large white egret, Casmerodius albus, of southeastern Europe, tropical Africa, Asia, New Zealand, and America.

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great white heron British  

noun

1. a large white heron, Ardea occidentalis, of S North America

2. a widely distributed white egret, Egretta (or Casmerodius ) albus

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Etymology

Origin of great white heron

First recorded in 1805–15

Example Sentences

Wolkowsky’s island supports great white herons, migratory birds such as the piping plover, raptors of all kinds and shorebirds.

From Washington Times

The club also unveiled its crest, a circular logo including two great white herons — an emblem it says celebrates Miami’s “international, diverse, inclusive, creative and ambitious spirit.”

From Reuters

There were aggressively friendly toy-size Key deer, which begged for picnic table scraps, and a regal great white heron that held court for hours.

From New York Times

The decorative touches come straight from the Sunshine State gallery: a statue of swimming sea turtles, a painting of a great white heron, tall vases filled with shells.

From Washington Post

From the grass above came the sleepy cry of marsh hens, and once a great white heron rose like a ghost across their path.

From Project Gutenberg