Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
Snow egrets scurry around the water as they hunt, a behavior that is different from other herons and egrets that stand still and silently stalk their prey. Above, a snowy egret hunts at Deal Island Wildlife Management Area in Somerset County, Md., on May 26, 2020. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program) USAGE REQUEST INFORMATION The Chesapeake Bay Program's photographic archive is available for media and non-commercial use at no charge. To request permission, send an email briefly describing the proposed use to CBP Multimedia Manager Will Parson (wparson@chesapeakebay.net). Please do not attach jpegs. Instead, reference the corresponding Flickr URL of the image. A photo credit mentioning the Chesapeake Bay Program is mandatory. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way or used in any way that suggests approval or endorsement of the Chesapeake Bay Program. Requestors should also respect the publicity rights of individuals photographed, and seek their consent if necessary.
Snowy egrets are easily identified by their distinctive yellow feet. In flight, they hold their head back and their neck in a tight curve. Above, a snowy egret hunts at Deal Island Wildlife Management Area in Somerset County, Md., on May 26, 2020. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program) USAGE REQUEST INFORMATION The Chesapeake Bay Program's photographic archive is available for media and non-commercial use at no charge. To request permission, send an email briefly describing the proposed use to CBP Multimedia Manager Will Parson (wparson@chesapeakebay.net). Please do not attach jpegs. Instead, reference the corresponding Flickr URL of the image. A photo credit mentioning the Chesapeake Bay Program is mandatory. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way or used in any way that suggests approval or endorsement of the Chesapeake Bay Program. Requestors should also respect the publicity rights of individuals photographed, and seek their consent if necessary.
A non-releasable snowy egret lives inside the aviary at the Virginia Living Museum in Newport News, Va., on March 9, 2016. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program)
Snowy egret chicks usually fledge two weeks after hatching. (John and Karen Hollingsworth/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
Snowy egrets nest in low shrubs or trees near the water. (David Hall/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
The snowy egret is a medium-sized white heron with a slender black bill and distinctive yellow feet. It visits the Chesapeake Bay’s marshes, wetlands and shallow waters from spring through autumn.
Appearance
The snowy egret has a white body and grows to 27 inches tall with a wingspan of 41 inches. During the breeding season, it has long, feathery plumes on its head, neck and breast. It has a slender black bill, black legs and yellow feet.
Feeding
Snowy egrets eat mostly fish and crustaceans, but will also feed on frogs, snakes, worms and insects. They scurry around the water as they hunt, which is much more active than other herons and egrets, which stand still and silently stalk their prey. They use their feet to stir up mud under water, then stabs their bills into the water to find prey. Snowy egrets often forage in groups with other aquatic birds.
Predators
Owls, hawks, raccoons and poisonous snakes prey upon snowy egrets and their young.
Flight
In flight, the snowy egret holds its head back and its neck in a tight curve. It flies with rapid wingbeats and often flies in flocks when returning to roosting areas in the evening.
Voice
This bird's call is a low croak; during breeding season, it may make a woola-woola-woola sound.
National Audubon Society – Bird Song CollectionReproduction and Life Cycle
Snowy egrets nest and breed in colonies, called rookeries, with other herons, egrets and ibises. Rookeries are found on Bay islands such as Poplar, Tangier and Fisherman. They nest in low shrubs or trees near the water. Males perform courtship rituals such as vocalizations and flight displays to attract a mate. Once they find a mate, the female builds a nest made out of woven sticks and twigs. Females lay three to six pale, greenish-blue eggs, which hatch in approximately 24 days. Chicks usually fledge two weeks after hatching. Snowy egrets can live as long as 17 years.
Did You Know?
- Snowy egrets are one of three white herons that visit the Chesapeake Bay region. The other two are the great egret and the cattle egret.
- Long, wispy plumage grows on the snowy egret's back, neck and head during breeding season. In the 1800s, snowy egret populations were decimated due to the popularity of these plumes in fashion. With the help of protections that started in the 20th century, populations have recovered.
Sources and Additional Information
- Life in the Chesapeake Bay by Alice Jane Lippson and Robert L. Lippson
- Animal Diversity Web: Egretta thula – University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
- All About Birds: Snowy Egret – The Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- NatureWorks: Snowy Egret – New Hampshire Public Television
- Snowy Egret – The Assateague Naturalist
Quick Facts
Species
Native
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Size
27 inches tall; 41 inch wingspan
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Habitat
Tidal marshes and wetlands, as well as ponds and mud flats
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Range
Visits the Chesapeake Bay region in mid-spring, leaving in autumn to winter in the Carolinas and southward
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Diet
Fish, crustaceans, frogs, snakes, worms and insects
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Lifespan
Up to 17 years -
Status
Stable
