Little egrets colonised Britain naturally from mainland Europe in the 1990s and have since established over 700 breeding pairs as a new resident species.
Little egret colonisation represents wildlife adapting successfully to changing conditions, with individuals establishing territories and breeding successfully without human intervention. Their welfare is supported by the legal protection British birds receive and by improved water quality in rivers and estuaries following pollution reduction since the 1980s. The historic persecution of egrets and herons for plumage, which caused dramatic population collapse in the 19th century, demonstrates how quickly human fashion preferences can create welfare crises for visually striking species. Current threats are primarily from water quality and disturbance at roost and nesting sites.