The Caribbean is named after the Carib people, the dominate group in the region prior to European arrival in the Americas. The Carib now occupy a small 3,700 acre reserve of several small hamlets on the northeastern coast of Dominica. There are about 3,000 individuals living on the semi-independent reserve.
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Ardea alba - The great egret is a large heron of white plumage. It has a standing height of about 1 meter and an impressive wing span of 2 meters. The great egret is distributed throughout the tropical and warmer temperate zones. Depending on local area, the great egret is either a resident or migratory bird. The flight of an egret is slow in comparison to other birds of comparable size. During flight, the egret retracts its neck, a feature common to herons; cranes, ibises, spoonbills, and storks fly with the neck fully extended.
