[citation needed] The colours of the bare parts of the face change to green during the breeding season.

[8] The eastern great egret has a wide distribution throughout Asia and Oceania, with breeding populations in Australia, Bangladesh, China, Nepal, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, New Zealand (in the Waitangiroto Nature Reserve), Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines (Zamboanga), Russia (north-eastern), Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Taiwan.

[11] The largest colonies within Australia are in the Top End and Channel Country, which can number several thousand pairs.

The eastern great egret hunts by wading or standing still in shallow water and "spearing" prey with its bill.

Located atop trees at a height of 20 metres (66 ft) or more, the nest is a flat wide platform of dry branches and sticks with a shallow basin for eggs and young.

In New Zealand the white heron is highly endangered, with only one breeding site at Waitangiroto Nature Reserve in Whataroa.