Snowy Egret
Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
At a Glance
The Snowy Egret is a beautiful, graceful small egret, very active in its feeding behavior in shallow waters. Known by its contrasting yellow feet, could be said to dance in the shallows on golden slippers. The species was slaughtered for its plumes in the 19th century, but protection brought a rapid recovery of numbers, and the Snowy Egret is now more widespread and common than ever. Its delicate appearance is belied by its harsh and raucous calls around its nesting colonies.
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from Lives of North American Birds by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Herons, Egrets, Bitterns, Long-legged Waders
IUCN Status
Least Concern
Habitat
Coasts and Shorelines, Freshwater Wetlands, Lakes, Ponds, and Rivers, Saltwater Wetlands
Region
California, Eastern Canada, Florida, Great Lakes, Mid Atlantic, New England, Northwest, Plains, Rocky Mountains, Southeast, Southwest, Texas, Western Canada
Behavior
Direct Flight
Population
2.100.000
Range & Identification
Migration & Range Maps
After breeding season, a Snowy Egret may wander well north. Withdraws in winter from northern breeding areas; birds banded in United States recovered in Panama, Trinidad. Permanent resident in parts of Florida, southern coastlines, Pacific lowlands. On Pacific Coast, some may winter slightly north of breeding range.
Description
Sexes similar — Length: 22 in-2 ft 2 in (56-66 cm); wingspan: 3 ft 3 in-3 ft 7 in (1-1.1 m); weight: 13.1-14.8 oz (370-420 g). The legs of a Snowy Egret are mostly black, with bright yellow feet ("golden slippers"). Its bill is black, with yellow on the lores (in front of eye). Immatures may have legs that are mostly greenish at first, base of bill gray; see immature Little Blue Heron.
Size
About the size of a Heron, About the size of a Mallard or Herring Gull
Color
Black, White, Yellow
Wing Shape
Broad, Pointed, Rounded
Tail Shape
Short
Songs and Calls
A harsh squawk.
Call Pattern
Falling, Flat, Simple
Call Type
Croak/Quack, Odd, Raucous
Habitat
Snowy Egret can be found in marshes, swamps, ponds or shores. Widespread in many types of aquatic habitats, including fresh and salt water; in coastal areas, may seek sheltered bays. Inland, favors extensive marshes and other large wetlands. Sometimes forages in dry fields. Nests in colonies in trees, shrubs, mangroves, sometimes on or near the ground in marshes.
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Behavior
Eggs
A Snowy Egret typically lays 3-5 eggs, sometimes 2-6. Eggs are a pale blue-green. Incubation is by both sexes, 20-24 days.
Young
Both Snowy Egret parents feed young. Last young to hatch may starve. Young may clamber out of nest after 20-25 days, probably unable to fly before 30 days.
Feeding Behavior
Often forages actively, walking or running in shallow water, also standing still and waiting for prey to approach. May stir bottom sediments with feet to startle prey into motion. The Snowy Egret sometimes hovers and then drops to water. Also may feed in open fields, sometimes following cattle to catch insects flushed by the animals.
Diet
Includes fish, insects, crustaceans. Diet is varied, includes fish, crabs, crayfish, frogs, snakes, insects, snails, worms, lizards, rodents.
Nesting
Breeds in colonies, often or usually mixed with other species of wading birds. The male Snowy Egret selects nest site and displays there to ward off rivals and attract a mate. Displays include pointing bill straight up, raising all plumes, and pumping head up and down while calling; variant of this sometimes given in short flight. Also flies in circles around nest site; flies high and then tumbles down. Nest: Site is in tree or shrub, usually 5-10' up, sometimes on ground or higher in tree. Nest (built by both sexes) is a platform of sticks.
Conservation
Conservation Status
Snowy Egret numbers were decimated in late 1800s by plume hunters. With protection, populations have recovered. In recent decades, it has expanded its breeding range far north of historical limits. Probably still expanding range and increasing population.
Climate Threats Facing the Snowy Egret
Choose a temperature scenario below to see which threats will affect this species as warming increases. The same climate change-driven threats that put birds at risk will affect other wildlife and people, too.
