Egret - The Dramas of Life and Death

An in-depth lifecycle study of one group of egrets as they arrive in North East China from Japan, to nest, mate and rear their young.

Every year from late March to early April, large migrating flocks of egrets and herons arrive in North East China from Japan to nest, mate and rear their young. This film is an in-depth lifecycle study of one group of these spectacular birds. Over the course of about 10 days, they settle into the canopy of a mountain forest, remaining there until autumn. More than one thousand egrets and herons become neighbours in this high-rise bird colony. The conditions are jam-packed and rival birds of both species cohabit in the trees but fight over the available nesting space while also trying to evade predators.