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Snowy Egret

Egretta thula

Photo by QWMom
Published on Project Noah
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32.79, -79.91

Field Notes

Description:

Yellow facial skin near an otherwise black bill, and black legs with bright yellow feet help to identify on this small white heron from a distance. This specimen is sporting its lovely breeding plumage. At one time, these beautiful plumes were in such demand by market hunters for fashion accessories, that the species was in danger of becoming extinct. Happily, the population has rebounded to secure numbers since it became a protected species under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Habitat:

They are most common along the coast, though they do breed patchily in inland wetlands. Snowy Egrets nest colonially, usually on protected islands, and often with other small herons. They concentrate on mudflats, beaches, and wetlands, but also forage in wet agricultural fields and along the edges of rivers and lakes.

Notes:

Spotted near the marina in Charleston Harbor

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