Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
Image by ‘MarshBunny’ on Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Physical: Snowy Egrets reaches 51-69 cm in size. They are white with a black bill, black legs, and bright yellow feet.
Habitat: E. thula occur in marshes, ponds, swamps, and mudflats. they prefer settling colonially on secluded barrier islands or salt marsh islands.They winter regularly from Virginia south to the West Indies and South America.
Feeding: Snowy Egrets feed mainly on fish, crabs, amphibians, and insects. They feed by sprinting rapidly through the shallow water, chasing their prey. They will also use their bright yellow feet to probe the mud for prey. They will feed in almost any coastal aquatic area including: marshes, mangroves, esturaies, inlets, and pools.
Breeding: Egrets lay 3-5 pale blue-green eggs on a platform of sticks. They are hidden from view by bushes or reed beds. Breeding grounds include Oregon to California, and east to New England on coasts or inshore. Both parents take on the task of incubation by switching on and off while the other searches for food.
