REMARKABLE FEET: SNOWY EGRETS ON ABACO
SNOWY EGRETS (Egretta thula) are small white herons of the Americas, similar to the European Little Egret. The first thing you may notice about them is that they have remarkable bright yellow feet. This distinguishes these birds from all other egret and heron species.
Young Snowy Egrets often have yellow markings higher up on their legs.
The feet are so bright that they are often visible underwater.
Snowy Egrets eat fish, crustaceans, insects and small reptiles. They have 3 main foraging tactics: (1) Standing still in or on the edge of water to ambush prey (2) Stalking prey in shallow water, often running or shuffling their feet to flush out prey (3) “Dip-fishing” by flying low over water.
In breeding season, Snowy Egrets grow beautiful plumes – “bridal plumage”. At one time these were in great demand as adornments for women’s hats (as with flamingos, parrots and many other decorative species). This reduced the population of the birds to dangerously low levels, from which they have now recovered. Their IUCN rating is now ‘Least Concern’.
Contemplating the next meal… one of Sandy Walker’s excellent Abaco photos taken this winter
Photo Credits: Sandy Walker, Woody Bracey, Tony Hepburn, Wiki
ROLLING HARBOUR ABACO 
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Hi RH,
I have done what you suggested and borrowed your photo of the Snowy Egret in flight. Awesome photo by the way. My post is linked to yours and let me know if you like the way i have changed my original post.
Greets,
Korgyblade
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That’s great, you’re very welcome. You are compiling a wonderful database, so do use any images from Rolling Harbour in the same basis – bearing in mind that they are rather specific to the (Northern) Bahamas. RH
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Wonderful photos, R.H.; the one with the feet underwater and the glow reflecting on the under body is especially unique.
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It goes to show how remarkably bright that yellow is – and how crystal clear the water is! I wonder why Snowys, of all egret and heron species, have these feet? There must be a reason but I can’t think what – you’d think potential prey would learn to associate ‘yellow’ and ‘I’m someone’s lunch’ quite quickly… RH
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Great feet! And great pictures.
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Thanks Lucy. Oh for a pair of bright yellow feet, though. Yellow Crocs wouldn’t cut it really, would they? 😎
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They are the most gorgeous birds – I have seen some in real life in either Cyprus or Minnesota USA the second third and fifth especially the 5th are excellent
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Thanks Scott, glad you liked them. RH
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gorgeous shots!
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They are such beautiful creatures that almost any shot taken in sunshine stands a chance of looking good! RH
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I love egrets with their yellow feet against black legs. They always make me think of besuited bankers caught wearing gaudy bright socks for some reason!
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I know just what you mean. And for birds with red feet, our former American ambassador Sir Christopher Wotsit who invariably wore somewhat ‘look-at-me’ red socks… But he had a choice of course. Imagine if babies were born with brightly coloured feet… but I digress. RH
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