Snowy Egret

Egretta thula

Wades through any obstacle with elegant golden slippers. Your message arrives in style.

Population: Approx. 476,000–1,620,000 mature individuals (Partners in Flight/Cornell estimate); population trend increasing
Habitat: Shallow wetlands including marshes, mudflats, tidal flats, salt marshes, estuaries, riverbanks, lakesides, and coastal lagoons; both fresh and saltwater habitats
Fun fact: The Snowy Egret's bright yellow feet, dubbed "golden slippers," are used to stir up and startle small prey while it forages in shallow water.
Range: Americas: breeds across the southern and coastal United States (California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida) and into Central America; resident year-round in Florida, the West Indies, and much of South America south to Chile and Argentina; northern breeders migrate south for winter; rare vagrant to Europe and South Africa
Diet: Small aquatic prey — fish, crustaceans (shrimp, crabs, crayfish), aquatic insects, small reptiles and amphibians (lizards, frogs, toads), snails, and worms; forages actively by stalking, running, and stirring up prey with its yellow feet
Size: 0.61 m
Wingspan: 1 m
Lifespan: 17 years

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