Snowy Egret
The Snowy Egret is actually a small white heron.
They have a slim black bill and long black legs with yellow feet. The area of the upper bill, in front of the eyes, is yellow but turns red during the breeding season, when the adults also gain recurved plumes on the back, making for a “shaggy” effect. The juvenile looks similar to the adult, but the base of the bill is paler, and a green or yellow line runs down the back of the legs.
Their breeding habitat is large inland and coastal wetlands from the lower Great Lakes and southwestern United States to South America. The breeding range in eastern North America extends along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts from Maine to Texas, and inland along major rivers and lakes.
The photographs I’m posting today were all shot at different points in Florida’s West Coast.
These birds eat fish, crustaceans, insects and small reptiles. They stalk prey in shallow water, often running or shuffling their feet, flushing prey into view, as well “dip-fishing” by flying with their feet just over the water. Snowy Egrets may also stand still and wait to ambush prey, or hunt for insects stirred up by domestic animals in open fields.
At one time, the beautiful plumes of the Snowy Egret were in great demand by market hunters as decorations for women’s hats. This reduced the population of the species to dangerously low levels.
Now protected in the USA by law, under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, this bird’s population has rebounded.
Click on images to see enlargements
Text and photographs © H.J. Ruiz – Avian 101
H.J. Ruiz - Avian101 
We have something like this bird in our paddocks but it’s not called an egret – I will have to find out more information.Thanks for inspiring me to do so!
That’d be lovely Julie! Thanks! 🙂
One of my favorite birds. These are some great photos of them too! Once, while driving on one of Missouri’s river roads, I saw a flock of them take flight…breathtaking! If only I had a camera then. Lovely post to make me remember 🙂
Thank you Diva! The lesson is: Always carry a camera right next to your favorite skillet! 🙂
Ha ha! It often is in the kitchen. I need to dust off the flour and get it out in the fresh air sometimes. That reminds me…I’m always getting gook on my poor camera. If I get something oily on the lens, what is the best way to clean it off?
If it’s only finger prints, you can use a q-tip (swab) and slightly moist with windex (glass cleanser) and swab it gently in one direction only, that should do it! But… If you’ve deep fried your camera it’s kaput! 🙂
lol! Thanks for the advice. You notice, I don’t deep fry 😉
Love this bird & your pictures
Thank you very much Amy! 🙂
So Beautiful. This has got to be one of my favs!!
They are beautiful and graceful! Thanks BD! 🙂
I love photographing these birds, great shots HJ, especially the last two with the extra color around his beautiful white body! 🙂
Aren’t they beautiful? Thank you! I agree with you, that why a posted it last! 🙂
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