Egretta garzetta, commonly known as the Little Egret, is native to a wide range in temperate, tropical, and subtropical regions across Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. It is found in parts of southern Europe, most of Africa except the desert regions, the Middle East, southern and eastern Asia, including India, and parts of Southeast Asia, China, Japan, Indonesia, and extends to Australia.

The Little Egret typically inhabits wetlands including marshes, riverbanks, lagoons, and rice fields. It thrives in both freshwater and coastal saline environments. It prefers areas with shallow water, which are ideal for wading.

Egretta garzetta occupies an ecological niche as a wading bird feeding primarily on fish, amphibians, crustaceans, insects, and other small aquatic organisms. It is adapted to exploiting the abundant food resources in wetland habitats and plays a role in controlling the populations of these prey species.