The Snowy Egret

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Ranked #445 in Animals, #12,721 overall

A Beautiful White Wader

Snowy Egrets are the beautiful birds that inhabit marshes, swamps, ponds, lakes, and shallow coastal areas and tidal flats. In the 19th and early 20th century, they were hunted to near extinction for their beautiful white feathers.

Babysitting! I'd rather be fishing.

Description 

The Snowy Egret is a small, all-white heron measuring 20 to 27 inches in height. They have a slim black bill and long black legs with yellow feet. It has a patch of skin above the upper bill that is yellow, but turns red during breeding season. Its plumage changes during breeding season as well. Rather than the smooth sleek plumage, it sports long lacy plumes on its head and back. The juveniles are similar in appearance, but they have a green or yellow line running down the back of their legs.

Range and Habitat 

The Snowy Egret can be found in some inland areas, but prefers the coastland marshes. It can be found along the Atlantic, pacific, and Gulf coast. The northern birds will migrate southward but the birds residing in temperate climates remain in their breeding habitat year-round. They are routinely spotted in salt marshes, swamps, ponds, tidal flats, and coastal bays.

Snowy Egret 

Snowy Egret Descent by ingridtaylar

Snowy Egret Descent

Snowy Egret at Malibu Lagoon 2 by stevevoght

Snowy Egret at Malib...

Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) by MorroBayChuck

Snowy Egret (Egretta...

Snowy Egret at Malibu Lagoon 4 by stevevoght

Snowy Egret at Malib...

Snowy Egret at Malibu Lagoon 5 by stevevoght

Snowy Egret at Malib...

Snowy Egret at Malibu Lagoon 3 by stevevoght

Snowy Egret at Malib...

automatically generated by Flickr

At one time the Snowy Egret's feathers were used to decorate women's hats. Their numbers dropped drasticly before fashion finally changed and the demand dropped off.

Mating and Nesting 

The Snowy Egret nests in large colonies with other waders. The male selects the breeding area, but they both build the nest. It's a team effort with the male collecting the materials and the female constructing it. The nest is usually located in pile of twigs on the ground, in a bush or in a tall tree. The norm is a bush or tree about 5 feet off the ground. The female lays 3 to 4 bluish-green eggs and are incubated by both adults. The eggs hatch three weeks later. Both parents care for the young feeding them with regurgitated food. The young start branching (hopping out onto branches close to the nest) around 20 to 25 days, and leave the nest a few days later.

Snowy Egrets will follow along behind domestic animals eating the insects stirred up by their passing.

Voice 

The Snowy Egret has two distinct sounds, a low croak and a bubbly walla-walla-walla.

More Snowy Egrets 

Egret Preen by ingridtaylar

Egret Preen

Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) by MorroBayChuck

Snowy Egret (Egretta...

Snowy Egret Descent by ingridtaylar

Snowy Egret Descent

Egret Deliberations by ingridtaylar

Egret Deliberations

Wood Storks and Snowy Egret by Peter Long

Wood Storks and Snow...

Snowy Egret, Egretta thula by brian.gratwicke

Snowy Egret, Egretta...

automatically generated by Flickr

Snowy Egrets will often roost with other heron,or even the Red Ibises.

Diet 

Snowy Egrets eat fish, crustaceans, frogs, and insects. They have several different hunting techniques. They will stalk their prey in shallow water, running or shuffling their feet to flush their prey into view, or they can fly low over the water and dip down to grab its prey. Another alternative is to stand still and wait for the fish to swim into range.

The Nikon Monarch Binoculars 

Perfect for Bird Watching

Nikon Monarch ATB Binoculars


Nikon Monarch ATB Binoculars

The Nikon Monarch Binoculars

The waterproof, fog-free Nikon binoculars are perfect for outdoor use. Bright, beautifully defined images are delivered by superior quality, multilayer coated lense.O-ring seals and nitrogen gas provide added resistance to the effects of changes in climate, while the durable design and rubber armoring ensure reliable performance and a comfortable grip, even during prolonged use. Worry-free viewing of the great outdoors.

Shorebirds of North America, Europe, and Asia 

Shorebirds of North America, Europe, and Asia: A Guide to Field Identification (Princeton Field Guides)

Amazon Price: $25.55 (as of 12/16/2009)Buy Now

Shorebirds of North America, Europe, and Asia is divided into two sections for easy use. The first section shows the shorebirds in standard poses and the second shows them in flight. I prefer this field guide to the others because shorebirds rarely stay still long enough to identify them. With flight illustrations I have a better chance at identifying them.

Have you seen any interesting birds lately? 

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About the Author 

Lensmaster ElizabethJeanAllen has been a member since March 16 2008, has rated 4,012 lenses, favorited 445, and has created 200 lenses from scratch. Lizzy Jean donates their royalties to Squidoo Charity Fund. This member's top-ranked page is "The Mallard Duck". See all my lenses

Peterson's Field Guide to North American Birds 

Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America (Peterson Field Guide Series)

Amazon Price: $16.38 (as of 12/16/2009)Buy Now

An absolute must have for anyone with an interest in watching the birds.

Resources 

Dunn, J.L. & Alderfer, J., Editors. 2006. National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Fifth Edition. National Geographic Society.

Peterson, T.P. & Peterson, V.M. 2002. Birds of Eastern and Central North America, Fifth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, N.Y.

Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology
The Snowy Egret, Department of Environmental Protection
The Snowy Egret, Salt Grass Flats
Seattle Audubon Society

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