The egret is near the top of the food web. They can be found eating small vertebrates such as snakes and anoles, but they more commonly eat frogs, crayfish and most of all, fish. The vegetation that they eat is comprised mostly of algae or plankton. Because they eat both small vertebrates and vegetation, they fall into the omnivore category.
Mating
Egrets mating rituals work in a very circular fashion. They live in colonies in nesting areas and the females use their plumes to attract a male. After they have mated, the female makes a nest with twigs and sticks to prepare for laying eggs. When ready, the female lays 3 to 4 pale, blue-green eggs and the babies hatch in 24 days. In 6-7 weeks, they fly north because of food shortages. When they find new nesting areas, the cycle begins again.
Herons and Egrets are in the same family and look similar, so what is the difference? The name Egret comes from the French ‘aigrette’ meaning the plume feathers of the six species of white Egrets. These are a special breeding plumage only occurring through part of the year. For many years they were popular in the fashion trade. Egrets were the Herons from which ‘aigrettes’ were obtained so causing the death of many birds. The term has since lost its original meaning and is now used to describe various members of the Heron family which do not have these plumes and which are not white.
These birds are snowy white, hence their name, about 22-27 inches long. With their wing span is about 39-46 inches. It has long black legs, bright yellow feet, yellow eyes, yellow lores (area between the eyes and beak) and a long slim black beak. Both male and female birds look very similar and weigh about 13 ounces on the average. Immature birds will have legs that are black in front but yellowish on the back.
Snowy Egrets often will be seen in loose flocks and breed in large colonies. During this time many egrets will have the gorgeous aigrettes, the long lacy feathers. The lores and the feet may also turn a reddish color or even orange. Nests are made of short branches and twigs, making a shallow nesting area. This nest can be found on the ground but also up into the trees or bushes, about 7-10 feet off the ground. The female will lay 3-5 pale blue-green eggs and will incubate them for 3 to 4 weeks. The nestlings, featherless and dependent on their parents for food and warmth when first hatched, will be stay in the nest for almost another month until fledging.
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