• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Justification of Red List category
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence under 20,000 km² combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population size is very large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (under 10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be over 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). The population trend is not known, but the population is not believed to be decreasing sufficiently rapidly to approach the thresholds under the population trend criterion (over 30% decline over ten years or three generations). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Population justification
The global population size is estimated at 100,000-1,000,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2023), which equates to 66,700-667,000 mature individuals. The overall population trend is unknown (Wetlands International 2023).

Trend justification
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The species is threatened in the Northern Territory of Australia by the degradation of flood-plain habitats owing to grazing, burning, invasion by introduced plants (Marchant and Higgins 1990) (particularly Mimosa pigra and Salvinia molesta; Maddock 2000), reduced water flows from drainage and water diversion for irrigation (Marchant and Higgins 1990, McKilligan 2005), levee breaking by feral buffalo (Marchant and Higgins 1990, Maddock 2000) allowing salt intrusion and accumulation of tidal sediment (Marchant and Higgins 1990), clearing of swamp forest, and pollution from mineral extraction (Maddock 2000).

Text account compilers
Rutherford, C.A.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Plumed Egret Ardea plumifera. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/plumed-egret-ardea-plumifera on 27/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 27/11/2024.