David Pattyn / Great white egret (Ardea alba) fishing in shallow pond, with Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) and other Great white egrets in background, Valkenhorst Nature Reserve, The Netherlands, August.

Staffan Widstrand / Great white egret (Egretta / Ardea alba) Pusztaszer protected landscape, Kiskunsagi, Hungary, May

George Sanker / Great egret (Ardea alba) with prey in beak, in evening light. Myakka River State Park, Florida, USA, March. Sequence 2/2.

George Sanker / Great egret (Ardea alba) diving head into water to catch prey, in evening light. Myakka River State Park, Florida, USA, March. Sequence 1/2.

David Pattyn / Great white egret (Egretta Alba) preening its feathers, Valkenhorst Nature Reserve, Valkenswaard, The Netherlands, July

Bence Mate / Great white egret (Ardea alba) group of three in winter, Kiskunsag National Park, Hungary. Winner of the Bird Category of Nature Photographer of the Year Awards 2018.

Michel Poinsignon / Great white egret (Egretta alba) preening feathers, Pusztaszer, Hungary, April

Michel Poinsignon / Great white egret (Egretta alba) detail of plumage and legs from the front, Pusztaszer, Hungary, April

Michel Poinsignon / Great white egret (Egretta alba) catching fish in lake, Pusztaszer, Hungary, April

Bence Mate / Great egret (Ardea alba) group of five at water's edge, with very out of focus egret in foreground. Lake Csaj, Kiskunsagi National Park, Pusztaszer, Hungary, February.

Bence Mate / Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) and Great egret (Ardea alba) fighting over fish, Lake Csaj, Kiskunsagi National Park, Pusztaszer, Hungary, January.

Bence Mate / Great egrets (Ardea alba) fighting, Lake Csaj, Kiskunsagi National Park, Pusztaszer, Hungary, February.

Bence Mate / Great egret (Ardea alba) with green colouring near beak during breeding season, Lake Csaj, Pusztaszer, Hungary, April.

Bence Mate / Great egrets (Ardea alba) in breeding colours one with dark beak, facing each other with beaks raised towards the sky, Lake Csaj, Pusztaszer, Hungary, February.

Bence Mate / Great egret (Ardea alba) fighting with Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) over fish, Lake Csaj, Kiskunsagi National Park, Pusztaszer, Hungary.

Bence Mate / Great egrets (Ardea alba) fighting in mid-air, Lake Csaj, Kiskunsagi National Park, Pusztaszer, Hungary. January.

Bence Mate / Bittern (Botaurus stellaris) with Great egret (Ardea alba) in the background, Lake Csaj, Kiskunsagi National Park, Pusztaszer, Hungary.

Bence Mate / Group of Great egrets (Ardea alba), Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) and Eurasian spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) at night with stars and moon. Lake Csaj, Kiskunsagi National Park, Pusztaszer, Hungary. May.

Bence Mate / Flock of Great egrets (Ardea alba) at twilight, Lake Csaj, Kiskunsagi National Park, Hungary. May.

Bence Mate / Great egret (Ardea alba) with other behind, feeding in lake with others behind, Lake Csaj, Kiskunsagi National Park, Pusztaszer, Hungary. June.

Bence Mate / Great white egret (Ardea alba) fighting with Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) squabbling, Lake Csaj, Kiskunsagi National Park, Hungary, January.

Bence Mate / Great egrets (Ardea alba) in winter, and Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) with flock of other birds flying above, Lake Csaj, Kiskunsagi National Park, Hungary. January.

Bence Mate / Great egrets (Ardea alba) fighting with necks intertwined, Lake Csaj, Kiskunsagi National Park, Hungary. January.

Bence Mate / Great egret (Ardea alba) with fish prey, Kiskunsagi National Park, Pusztaszer, Hungary. January.

Bence Mate / Great egret (Ardea alba) in snow, Lake Csaj, Kiskunsagi National Park, Pusztaszer, Hungary. March.

Bence Mate / White tailed sea eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) interacting with Great egret (Ardea alba) Lake Csaj, Kiskunsagi National Park, Hungary. January.

Bence Mate / Great egret (Ardea alba) two fighting in flight, Lake Csaj, Kiskunsagi National Park, Pusztaszer, Hungary. January.

Bence Mate / Great egret (Ardea alba) and Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) squabbling, Lake Csaj, Kiskunsagi National Park, Pusztaszer, Hungary. January.

Bence Mate / Great egret (Ardea alba) at twilight, Lake Csaj, Kiskunsagi National Park, Hungary. July.

Bence Mate / Great egret (Ardea alba) fighting, one grabbing the leg of another in snow, Lake Csaj, Kiskunsagi National Park, Pusztaszer, Hungary. February.

Bence Mate / Great egrets (Ardea alba) sky pointing, sizing each other up before fighting, Lake Csaj, Kiskunsagi National Park, Pusztaszer, Hungary. January.

Bence Mate / Great white egret (Ardea alba) silhouetted at sunset, Lake Csaj, Pusztaszer, Hungary, February. Winner of the Portfolio category of the Terre Sauvage Nature Images Awards competition 2015.

Bence Mate / Great egret (Ardea alba) close up of feathers, Lake Csaj, Pusztaszer, Hungary, December. Winner of the Portfolio category of the Terre Sauvage Nature Images Awards competition 2015.

Bence Mate / Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) and Great egret (Ardea alba) fighting over fish, Lake Csaj, Pusztaszer, Hungary, December. Winner of the Portfolio category of the Terre Sauvage Nature Images Awards competi...

Bence Mate / Two Great egrets (Ardea alba) standing opposite each other with Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) in between. Lake Csaj, Pusztaszer, Hungary, January. Winner of the Portfolio category of the Terre Sauvage Na...

Bence Mate / White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) flying, with Great egret (Ardea alba) in the foreground, Lake Csaj, Pusztaszer, Hungary. February. Winner of the Portfolio category of the Terre Sauvage Natur...

Bence Mate / Great egret (Ardea alba) hunting fish, Lake Csaj, Pusztaszer, Hungary, February. Winner of the Portfolio category of the Terre Sauvage Nature Images Awards competition 2015.

Bence Mate / Great egrets (Ardea alba) and Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) squabbling over fish, with some in flight. Blurred motion photograph, Lake Csaj, Pusztaszer, Hungary. February.

Bence Mate / Group of Great egrets (Ardea alba) reflected in still water, with Hooded crows (Corvus cornix), Lake Csaj, Pusztaszer, Hungary. Winner of the Portfolio category of the Terre Sauvage Nature Images Awar...

Bence Mate / Two Great egrets (Ardea alba) face to face against white sky, Lake Csaj, Pusztaszer, Hungary. Winner of the Portfolio category of the Terre Sauvage Nature Images Awards competition 2015.

Andy Rouse / Great egret (Ardea alba) flying across lake, Ranthambhore National Park, India

George Sanker / Great egret (Ardea alba) in flight, Florida, USA, March.

George Sanker / Great egret (Ardea alba) taking off with fish prey in mouth, Myakka River State Park, Florida, USA, March.

Staffan Widstrand / Great white egret (Egretta alba or Ardea alba) catching cyprionid fish or carp in fish farm, Pusztaszer Protected Landscape, Kiskunsagi, Hungary, May

Markus Varesvuo / Great white egret (Ardea alba) splashing, Hungary, January.

Markus Varesvuo / Great White Egret (Egretta alba) with water splashing from beak, Hungary January

Bence Mate / Great egret (Ardea alba) feeding on fish, Pusztaszer, Hungary, June.