Egrets build their nests of sticks that they take from unoccupied nests if available, otherwise, they break dead twigs from nearby trees or gather sticks from the ground. Males do most of the twig gathering, carrying the sticks to the females in their bills. Twig presentations continue throughout egg laying and incubation, and sometimes even for a short time after the eggs hatch. While one member of the pair is out foraging, the other guards the nest. If the nest were left unattended, other Egrets would quickly take the twigs, and the nest would be gone when the owners returned.
Copulation usually occurs on the nest, but it can also take place on a branch near the nest.
The Egrets start to lay their eggs sometime during the last two weeks in April. Clutch size ranges from two to three eggs. Egret parents don't wait until the clutch is complete to start incubating but begin shortly before the second egg is laid. While one adult is out feeding, the other stays on the nest, guarding it and keeping the eggs warm. The first egg hatches 25-29 days after incubation began, usually between 27 and 28 days.