Those feet seem to play a role in stirring up or herding small aquatic animals as the egret forages. While Little Egret is now relatively common, it can sometimes be confused at distance with a much rarer visitor - Great White Egret. A large, all-white heron with a yellow bill and black legs. The males are slightly larger than the females, but this is not so noticeable that you will necessarily tell the sexes apart in this manner. The Little Egret has a black beak. The typical adult snowy egret has a length between 20 inches and 27 inches, with a wingspan of around 41 inches. Identifying Little Egret and Great White Egret. Despite their similar all-white feathers, their much smaller size makes it easy to tell them apart from great egrets. Hundreds of wading birds including woodstorks, great egrets, white ibis, snowy egrets and one lone great white pelican were photographed on … Among the most elegant of the herons, the slender Snowy Egret sets off immaculate white plumage with black legs and brilliant yellow feet. In southern Florida, white form of Great Blue Heron is similar but larger, with greenish-yellow legs." The small snowy egret is an active hunter, often striding briskly through the shallows in search of prey. There are 3 egret species that regularly visit Colorado: the Cattle Egret, the Great Egret, and the Snowy Egret. Much smaller Snowy Egret has black bill and legs and yellow feet. The most obvious identifying feature of a snowy egret, though, is the bright yellow feet. Common throughout the Americas, snowy egrets breed in coastal estuaries and inland waterways. Great Egret: "Description 35-41" (89-104 cm). Video on Egret. The Great Blue Heron can be identified by its pale yellow legs and feet - compared to the blackish legs of the Great Egret. Cattle Egret The Cattle Egret is about the same size as a Snowy Egret, but has a shorter, chunkier looking neck with a yellow bill and dark legs and feet. Flight: The Great Egret's flight speed has been measured to be 17 - 32 mph (28-51 km/h). Also the Snowy Egret has yellow feet and a black bill. The snowy egret resembles the great egret, another pure white wading bird, but is only about half as large.Moreover, the mature snowy egret has a dark bill, dark legs and yellowish to orange feet while the mature great egret has a yellowish bill and slate-colored legs and feet. The Little Egret (Egretta garzetta), the Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia or Mesophoyx intermedia), and the Great Egret (Ardea alba melanorhynchos or Casmerodius albus melanorhynchos) have all white plumage (feathers). Estimate the size of the snowy egrets you see. Ah, the egret. The Great Egret is larger than the Snowy Egret. Common, especially in the south, it may wander far to the north in late summer. W. 4'7" (1.4 m). In breeding plumage, has long lacy plumes on back. Breeding Snowy Egrets grow filmy, curving plumes that once fetched astronomical prices in the fashion industry, endangering the species. Snowy Egret – Great Egret size comparison – Nikon D200, handheld, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 160, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 360mm, natural light. Their flight is slow, yet strong. One of the most majestic and graceful of birds. In flight, the neck is pulled back in an S-curve. The males and females look identical with white-plumed bodies perched above black legs that end in … The white morph (form) of the Reddish Egret has a dark or bi-colored bill. Fashionistas of the past agreed: thousands of egrets were slaughtered for their long, silky plumes, which used to adorn ladies' hats. What’s the difference between the Little Egret, Intermediate Egret, and Great Egret? A tall, stately white wader of quiet waters. Also, the Great Blue Heron has a heavier bill. Snowy egrets (Egretta thula) are white waterbirds belonging to the heron family, Ardeidae. All 3 are… 25 years ago the sighting of any White Heron in the UK would have been greeted with excitement. The Great Egrets is easily confused with the white morph of the Great Blue Heron - also commonly referred to as the "Great White Heron" - which occurs only in southern Florida. The great egret is the symbol of the National Audubon Society and represents a conservation success story. Similar looking birds to Great Egret: Snowy Egret Adult, Great Blue Heron Adult (white form), Little Blue Heron Juvenile, Reddish Egret Breeding adult white morph, Wood Stork Adult. Back to Little Egret main page To find a Little Egret among Snowy Egrets: Look for long dangling head plumes (which all adult Little Egrets have, except when molting in fall, and all Snowy Egrets lack, except for a few rare individuals that may be hybrids). Look for dark gray lores which will make the … Finding and identifying a Little Egret among Snowy Egrets Read More » The Snowy Egret is significantly smaller than the Great Egret, and it has a black bill with yellow feet. I’m frequently asked for help with bird identification via email, private messages, in the field and I also belong to several bird identification groups of Facebook where I enjoy helping people figure out what birds they are seeing and sharing.