Snowy Egret

Snowy Egret

Egretta thula 

Description: 20-27" A small, delicate all-white heron with a black bill, black legs, yellow feet. In breeding plumage, has long lacy plumes on head, neck and back,  similar to larger Cattle Egret and immature Little Blue Heron Habitat: Common in a wide variety of wetlands with fresh, brackish and salt water. Occurs along coast as well as inland. Marshes, ponds, mangrove swamps, occasionally in dry grasslands where it may associate with cattle. 
Nesting: 3-5 pale blue-green eggs on a platform of sticks in a tree or bush, nests in colonies often among other heron species Range: breeds from Oregon south to Gulf of Mexico, from Minnesota to Mississippi valley, and southeast, winters along west coast, Atlantic coast to New Jersey, and in tropics
Voice: A harsh squawk Diet: fish, insects, small invertebrates
Notes: Nuptial plumes of Snowy Egret were most sought after of all egrets' in early 20th century, extremely active, moves briskly in the water, shuffling its feet to frighten prey out of hiding, stabs repeatedly to catch it, breeding colonies contain thousands of pairs of birds. 
When present in Oklahoma: Can be seen nearly statewide in summer,  rare in panhandle

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