Egretta vinaceigula
Silhouette: L. Shyamal · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~60% in a week ~90%
The slaty egret (Egretta vinaceigula) is a small, dark egret found in southern Africa. It is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies. It is classified as Vulnerable, the biggest threat being habitat loss.
Until 1971, the slaty egret and more widespread black egret Egretta ardesiaca were thought to be colour morphs of the same species but the slaty egret shows consistent features which separate it from the black egret. These are the yellow legs and the vinous brown throat of the slaty egret, which extends down right onto the belly in immature birds. The slaty egret does not display the characteristic "mantling" behaviour of the black egret.
The slaty egret lives in south-central Africa. The largest populations are found in Zambia and Botswana. In Zambia there are maybe 500 to 1,000 individuals, mainly found at Liuwa Plain National Park, Kafue Flats and Lake Bangweulu in some years but there are no confirmed breeding records. In northern Botswana there is a population of probably over 2,000 birds, mainly in the vicinity of the Okavango Delta and Chobe... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moremi Game Reserve | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 2 | Chobe National Park | 🇧🇼 Botswana |
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Slaty Egret sighting in Moremi Game Reserve on a given day, based on 399 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 63rd most-seen of the 334 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September–October and December
In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Slaty Egret in Moremi Game Reserve on a given day, against about 10% in April to July, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Slaty Egret sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Slaty Egret sightings, Moremi Game Reserve has the highest daily chance: about 30%. Next come Chobe National Park (Botswana, under 5%).
Same genus: Egretta
The closest relatives of the Slaty Egret that you can see in Moremi Game Reserve (genus Egretta, Small Egrets and Herons) are Little Egret (about 30%), intermediate egret (about 20%) and Black Heron (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Slaty Egret is recorded against all the birds logged in Moremi Game Reserve (399 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
