The beautiful all white Great Egret and Snowy Egret

The Great Egret (Ardea alba), like all egrets, is a member of the heron family, Ardeidae. They are traditionally classified with storks when in fact they may be closer related to pelicans. The egret, when in flight, can be identified by its retracted neck, whereas the storks, cranes, ibises, and spoonbills fly with their long necks extended. The Great Egret also known as the Common Egret is a large, all-white plumaged bird. It can reach a length of 37 to 41 inches, has a wing span of  up to 4.8 ft., and it can weigh up to 48 ounces. It is slightly smaller than the Great Blue Heron. The Great Egret is normally not a vocal bird. However, during breeding time you may hear it as it gives off a loud croaking cuk cuk cuk sound.

Occasionally, the Great Egret will share the same feeding areas as Great Blues, and they can be seen together. A few Great Egrets have been seen in between the IGA and the new Firehouse here in Akwesasne. Other than its large size, they can be told from other white egrets by their yellow bill and black legs and feet. The bill color can sometimes be darker in breeding season, so if you think you may be seeing a Great Egret, you have to wait to see its feet to be sure of its identity. The Snowy Egret has black legs with bright yellow feet. When I birded with my mom and members of the Ralph T. Waterman Bird Club of Dutchess County, NY, I remember our dear, recently departed friend, Mary Key, speaking to us younger birders. She told us that if we wanted to know if it was a Snowy Egret, and not the Great or Common Egret, look for the Snowy Egret’s “Golden Slippers.” She had a way with words. She used words that gave us pictures that have stayed in my memory to this very day. Mary Key made all of our birding trips fascinating, interesting, and a fun thing to attend. Mary knew every bird’s song. She could tell exactly what bird was around us just by its song.

When the Great Egret is in breeding plumage, they have delicate ornamental feathers on their backs. The males and females are identical in plumage, while the young look like non-breeding adults. In North America, large numbers of  Great Egrets were killed around the end of the 19th century so their plumes could be gathered and used to decorate hats. The Great Egrets numbers have since recovered as a result of conservation measures. Unfortunately, in parts of the southern United States their numbers have declined due to habitat loss. Fortunately, these birds adapt in time to human habitation, and so they are slowly beginning to be seen again near wetlands and bodies of water near urban and suburban areas. The National Audubon Society, in 1953, chose the Great Egret in flight as their symbol. This was done in part to further prevent the killing of all types of birds for their feathers.

The Great Egret is partially migratory. Egrets in the northern hemisphere move south from areas that have cold winters, others in warmer climates stay pretty much where they are. They breed in colonies in trees close to large beds of water with other areas of wetlands nearby. They build large bulky stick nests. I have never seen a Great Egret colony nesting, but once when I was younger I did see Great Blue Herons nesting in Poughkeepsie, New York. It was an amazing thing to observe. I was again birding with my mom and the Waterman Bird club members. It was really something to see so many huge birds on such huge nests. I could not believe the branches could hold all of them. This particular colony was quite a distance from water because trees large enough for their colony’s nest building had been removed from their prior breeding areas. The bird club members were very concerned about this nesting site because the owner of the land was threatening to cut down that large nesting egret occupied tree. If I remember correctly, I think the land was eventually bought by a bird club member who donated it to be used as a sanctuary.  I hope so because that is one site I would like to see all people young and old get a chance to see for many generations yet to come.  I still to this day cannot believe those birds could build such bulky nests that actually were constructed well enough to hold all of  their babies.

The Great Egret mainly feeds in shallow water where it feeds on frogs and fish. They will sometimes feed in drier habitats where they will feed on small mammals, small birds, and reptiles. They spear their food with their long sharp bills. The egrets stand motionless waiting for their prey, or sometimes the egrets will ever so slowly stalk their victims. Where egrets are seen with buffalo or cattle herds, it appears as if the egrets are feeding off of the parasites of the buffalo or cattle. What is happening though is that they are actually feeding on grass hoppers, leaf hoppers, and other insects that get stirred up as the buffalos move about.

The Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) is a small white heron. The adults are typically 20 to 27 inches long, weigh up to 13 ounces, and have a 41 inch wing span.. They have a slim black bill and long black legs with yellow feet. The area of the upper bill, in front of the eyes, is yellow, but it turns red during the breeding season. At this time the adults also gain recurved plumes on their backs, that gives them a “shaggy” look. The juvenile looks similar to the adults, but the base of the bill is paler, and a green or yellow line runs down the back of their legs. Their breeding habitat is large inland and coastal wetlands from the lower Great Lakes and southwestern United States to South America. Their breeding range in eastern North America extends along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts from Maine to Texas, and inland along major rivers and lakes. The Snowy Egrets nest in colonies, often with other waders, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. Their flat, shallow nests are made of sticks and lined with fine twigs and rushes. They will lay three to four greenish-blue, oval eggs that are incubated by both adults. The young leave the nest in 20 to 25 days and hop about on branches near the nest before finally departing.

Snowy Egrets are permanent residents in warmer locations, while northern populations migrate to Central America and the West Indies. They may wander north after the breeding season, and they may rarely be seen here north of their usual breeding territory, which is in New Jersey. They once bred further north along the Atlantic coast, and they are slowly beginning to breed further north once again. Their diet consists of fish, crustaceans, and insects. They stalk prey in shallow water, often running or shuffling their feet to flush prey into view. They also do what is called, “dip-fishing,” which is done by flying with their feet just over the water. Snowy Egrets, like the larger Great Egret may also stand still and wait to ambush their prey. They also hunt for insects stirred up in open fields by domestic animals.

Like the Great Egret, at one time, the beautiful plumes of the Snowy Egret were in great demand by market hunters as decorations for women’s hats. This reduced the population of the species to dangerously low levels. These birds and the Great Egrets are now protected by law, under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. These birds’ populations, because of this act, have now rebounded. What you can do to help the Snowy Egret: Encourage the protection and conservation of the state’s remaining coastal and freshwater wetlands, as well as offshore islands. This will help snowy egrets as well as other wildlife. Reduce disturbance to colonial nesting birds, such as the snowy egret; avoid travel and recreation near nesting areas during the breeding season. Do not allow pets to roam freely in coastal or wetland habitats.

Some facts about the Great Egret & Snowy Egret: (1) The egret’s method of spearing its prey is called the “Deathblow.” The thrust is delivered quickly and the prey is immediately tossed into its mouth and swallowed. (2) Egrets are monogamous. Both parents incubate their three to four eggs. (3) The young egrets are aggressive towards one another. The stronger siblings may often kill their weaker kin, and so not all of the young egrets survive the first two to three weeks. (4) In the 19th century when the egrets were killed for their plumes, their populations plunged by 95 percent. (5) The Great Egret’s lifespan in the wild is 15 years. (6) Snowy Egrets have lived up to 16 years in captivity. (7) Snowy Egrets while feeding in shallow areas of ponds and marshes will use one foot to stir up the bottom, flushing prey into view. Snowy egrets will also hover, then drop to the water to catch prey in their bills. (8) In 1964, a hybrid snowy egret-little blue heron was reported in Florida. (9) The snowy egret has also been known as the lesser egret, little egret, little snowy, little white egret and little white heron.  (10) The Great Egret is depicted on the reverse side of a 5-Brazilian Reais banknote and on the reverse side of a New Zealand $2 coin. (11) A mating pair of Snowy Egrets cannot recognize each other except at the nest. When the egret that is away from the nest returns, it performs a greeting ritual so it will not be attacked by its mate as an intruder. (12) Snowy Egrets are carnivores. They eat small fish, fiddler crabs and other crustaceans, snakes and other reptiles, amphibians, snails , and insects. (13) The male gathers the reeds, twigs, sticks and building material but the female usually takes charge of building the nest.  (14) All members of the family Ardeidae have specialized feathers called powder down. These are never moulted but fray from the tip and grow continuously from the base. While pigeons have similar feathers all over their bodies, in herons, these are concentrated in patches. The fine powder that is generated as these feathers fray is used by the bird to remove slime and oil from their feathers. (15) Another interesting heron feature is their 4 long toes, 3 pointing toes forwards, and one backwards. The claw on the middle of the forward toes has a rough, comb-like inner margin that the Egrets use to preen (comb) their soft feathers. (16) The word ‘egret’ comes from the word ‘aigrette’ which refers to the lacy breeding plumes of 6 species of white heron. The word egret has since been used to name other all-white herons, even those that do not have these fancy breeding plumes. (17) In the 1900s, the demand was so huge for the Egret’s feathers that the feathers from four birds would be worth twice the same weight of gold. (18) By the start of World War I, many conservation groups were actively protesting the taking of the lives of these birds merely so their plumes could be used in the fashion industry. As early as 1903, in America’s conservation history, it was President Theodore Roosevelt who established the first National Wildlife Refuge at Pelican Island in Florida to protect the Egrets, Brown Pelicans, Wood Storks and many other species whose populations were in significant decline.

I would like to end with the following. I have seen, in the past, some very old photos, in older Indian books, entitled Iroquois Indians. They were wearing Egret plumes on their heads. Their clothing was odd, too, as they looked to me like jesters. I am not sure why those few men were dressed like that, but I think maybe they were caught up in the times. Perhaps they disregarded their own values and traditions to please their audience at that time, or they just followed what others were doing and wearing. I believe that as Haudenosaunee we must strongly hang onto our instructions, our traditions. Regardless of what has happened to our people, we have managed to survive. I firmly believe it is our culture that has kept us still here. Everything around us is becoming endangered - our air, our water, all of Mother Earth and those who live on her. It is very important in these times to practice our traditions, our instructions. If you do not know what they are, seek to find out what they are.  Speak with someone who still knows. The instructions are still available.