| Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
Distinguished from the great egret by its smaller size, its black bill and yellow feet, it can be spotted on Assateague from spring through fall, often at the edge of the water in a marsh. In the latter part of the 19th century and into the early 20th century, snowy egret plumes were very popular on hats which resulted in hunting until they were nearly extinct. They can be found along much of the east coast and elsewhere in the US and spend the winter from South Carolina southward. Their main foods are fish, crabs, amphibians and insects.
Snowy egrets breed once a year and the female lays 3-5 greenish blue eggs that hatch in 3-4 weeks. Their platform nests are built primarily of twigs and are located in trees (about 7 feet, more or less, above the ground) or even on the ground. As with other herons, the crudeness of the nest, the elliptical form of the egg, and other signs suggest to some scientists that these birds are one of the lower forms on the scale of bird life, not far removed from the reptiles, when one reckons in eons of time.
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