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January 28, 2022  |  By Ben Ivers

Snowy Egret

Snowy Egret Live

Snowy Egret - IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

This photo is courtesy of a long walk on the beach

This photo of a snowy egret was taken while on a birding walk on Siesta Key beach in Florida. For my birthday, I had received a rental from LensRentals.com. I had decided to rent a Sigma 150-600mm lens. This is a super-telephoto lens. For me it allows me to take photos that would not otherwise be accessible with the lenses I own. Per the formula of a 50mm lens being similar to that of the human eye, this lens has a magnification of 12. This is excellent for taking photos of birds. Not only does it allow you to get sharp, clear pictures, it also allows you to do so without disturbing the birds. Per the Audubon Society, you should "use a telephoto lens and maintain enough distance to allow your subject to behave naturally."

Brown Pelican

I spent the whole morning this day walking about 4 miles of the beach. I slowly made my way to the north and took photos of birds the entire time. I saw snowy egrets, laughing gulls, brown pelicans, black skimmers, pigeons, frigate birds, and more. This snowy egret was also slowly making its way north along the beach. As snowy egrets do, it was standing in the shallow water stalking any of the fish that came in with the waves.

Snowy Egret Fishing Live

Snowy egret fishing

Snowy egrets are in the same family of animals as herons, Ardeidae. Their scientific name is Egretta thula. The French word for "heron" is "aigron", and the word for "egret" is a diminutive of that word, "aigrette". That's where the egret genus gets its name from.

White Pelican

The snowy egret was once critically endangered. In the early 1900s their feathers were used in women's hats that were popular at the time. In 1902 more than 1.5 tons of feathers were sent to London to be placed in hats. The birds were placed under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which came into law in 1918. This act made it illegal to pursue, hunt, kill, sell, take, or capture nearly 1,100 species of migratory birds without a waiver. After being protected under this act, their populations rebounded.

Snowy egrets were once critically endangered

Snowy egrets were once critically endangered

Snowy egrets are native to North and South America. It is found throughout the year on both the Gulf and Atlantic coasts of Florida. I was in Siesta Key on the Gulf coast when I took this photo. During their breeding period, snowy egrets can be found in California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

Laughing Gull

For food these birds eat fish and other small aquatic animals. They will often stand perfectly still in the water waiting to spear their next prey. They have been known to run around in the water chasing their prey too! If you want to see a snowy egret, look for them along the coasts and in inland wetlands. They will often gather together as a community and will join with other small herons and egrets.

Did You Know?

  • Snowy egrets have a patch of yellow extending from their black bill to their eyes. They also have yellow feet!
  • Their legs are typically solid black and the remainder of their body is white.
  • They can grow to have a wingspan of more than three feet!
  • The males and females take turns incubating the eggs. They are known to bring a small stick to trade as if passing the baton!
  • Their feathers were once valued at $32 per ounce; twice the price of gold at the time.
  • They sometimes breed with Tricolored herons, little blue herons, and cattle egrets creating hybrid offspring.
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Article by Ben Ivers

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Matt Hamas and Ben Ivers here. We are focused on fostering a greater understanding and appreciation of the environment. We endeavor to bring you a unique perspective of the wild. Our photos are being placed here for you to enjoy. Please feel free to download any of the photos for your personal use. We are currently seeking partners for printing and developing photos.

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