Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
Small white heron with black bill, black legs, and yellow feet. Lores (between eye and bill) are usually bright yellow, but flush reddish in the breeding season. Also note lacy plumes on head, breast, and back during breeding season. Immatures have duller yellow lores and more yellow extending up the legs than adults. Fairly common and widespread in North and South America; often most common along the coast. Found in a variety of wetland habitats, especially shallow marshy pools and mudflats. Forages fairly actively in shallow water, often darting after small fish. Compare with immature Little Blue Heron, which usually has more greenish legs and lores, and note Snowy’s more active feeding style.
Identification
Adult snowy egrets are entirely white apart from the yellow lores between the long black bill and the eye, black legs, and bright yellow feet. The nape and neck bear long, shaggy plumes known as aigrettes. Immature snowy egrets have duller, greenish legs.<p>Measurements:
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Egretta thula
- Authority
- (Molina, 1782)
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
- Family
- Ardeidae
- Genus
- Egretta
Range and habitat
The snowy egret is native to North, Central and South America. It is present all year round in South America, ranging as far south as Chile and Argentina. It also occurs throughout the year in the West Indies, Florida and coastal regions of North and Central America. Elsewhere, in the southern part of the United States, it is migratory, breeding in California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. It is found in wetlands of many types; marshes, riverbanks, lakesides, pools, salt marshes and estuaries. It is not found at high altitudes nor generally on the coast. The snowy egret has occurred as a vagrant in Europe, in Iceland, Scotland and the Azores. It has also been recorded in South Africa.
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- rising
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Oreothraupis arremonops
Distinctive finch-like bird restricted to cloud forest Andes of western Colombia and northwestern Ecuador. Plumage is chestnut-brown with a black head and silvery stripes on face and crown. Sexes look alike. Typically encountered alone or in pairs; stays low in dense vegetation, often along roadsides, and does not join mixed-species flocks. Song is a high-pitched, buzzy series of notes which may be repeated many times in a row.
Japanese Quail
Coturnix japonica
A compact, cryptically-colored, very shy bird of grassy areas, including both natural meadows and some agricultural fields, where it remains hidden from view on the ground unless flushed at close range. Both sexes brown overall with a pale face, long white eyebrows, and subtle stippling and striping on the back and breast. Breeding males have a reddish-brown face and throat. Vocal mostly during the breeding season; males give a dry, explosive three-noted song from cover. Flushed birds fly with noisy, whistling wings, unlike crakes or shorebirds. Introduced to Hawaii, found on all of the main islands. A common avicultural bird, so escapees may occur around the world.
Madagascar Flufftail
Sarothrura insularis
Tiny, skulking rail-like bird that is unlikely to be seen unless you’re expressly looking for it. The male is boldly red and black with white stripes, while the female is brownish and much plainer. Found on the ground in forest, scrub, heath, and wetlands in eastern, central, and northern Madagascar. Extremely shy and elusive, and most often detected by voice: a loud and explosive couple of “ki-dit” calls followed by a very long series of shorter “kit” notes. Much shorter-billed than the very rare Slender-billed Flufftail. All other rails are larger and have different coloration.
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