Space Use and Movements of Adult Reddish Egrets (Egretta rufescens) During Winter

The Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens) is listed as a priority species for conservation throughout much of its range because of a relatively small global population size and restriction to coastal habitats. Much of the previous research on the Reddish Egret has focused on the breeding season; subsequently, little is known about the winter ecology of the species. Satellite transmitters were attached to adult Reddish Egrets breeding in the USA in Texas (n = 30) and Florida (n = 5) and daily movements were tracked during the winters of 2010–2016. Reddish Egrets that were marked during the breeding season in Texas, USA, wintered at sites in Texas, Mexico, and El Salvador, and those marked in Florida, USA, remained resident. Habitat types used for foraging and roosting were similar in Texas; 48% of roost locations and 63% of foraging locations occurred on unvegetated tidal flats. In Florida, Reddish Egrets used different habitats for roosting compared to foraging. All Reddish Egrets exhibited a high degree of fidelity to wintering sites across years; 72% of individuals had an average overlap of ≥ 63% for roosting areas across successive winters, and 78% had an average of ≥ 65% for foraging areas. Average home range sizes varied considerably among locations and sexes and ranged from 39 ha (95% CI = 7-224; males in Florida) to 11,849 ha (95% CI = 4,946-28,282; females at western Gulf Coast sites). This study provides new information on the winter ecology of Reddish Egrets that will aid in directing conservation and management efforts for the species.