Snowy egrets get their name from their bleach white coloring, which covers their bodies. They also have a nickname “golden slippers” for the bright yellow feet that contrast with their long, thin black legs. The snowy egret also has a pointed, black beak and can grow 20-27 inches tall.
Its diet is similar to many of its shallow-bird relatives, but its hunting style differs. Unlike most egrets that wait patiently or stalk their prey slowly before pouncing, the snowy egret runs after its prey. This species shuffles across the water in hopes of stirring up prey such as small fish, crabs and crayfish. On land, it also eats snakes, insects, lizards and rodents.
During breeding season, between spring and summer, snowy egrets search for a mate. Once a male and a female pair up, both will begin building their nest and family. Snowy egrets lay between three to five eggs at a time. The eggs hatch in less than a month and the young leave the nest about three weeks after hatching. Snowy egrets in Virginia can be spotted breeding along the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic coast. During the winter months snowy egrets migrate further south toward South and Central America for warmer weather.
In July 2015, the snowy egrets in the Museum’s Coastal Plain Aviary built a nest and hatched four chicks that are now mature and thriving in the aviary.
