Snowy Egret

Status Uncommon visitant. The earliest reference to it is by Blakiston and Bland (1857), who regarded it as "very rare." Jones (1868) mentions a specimen. Only a few more were recorded prior to 1960, but since then it has become the most frequent of "southern" herons. Three individuals have appeared in March, 63 in April, 90 in May, 12 in June, 7 in July, 8 in August, 21 in September, 17 in October and 5 in November. The earliest was on Sable Island on 24 March 1977, and the latest seasonable bird was on 23 November 1962 on Bon Portage Island. More unusual was a bird on 15-16 December 1979 at Cole Harbour, Halifax County (J.C. and J.S. Cohrs et al.), and another on 6 January 1963 on Bon Portage Island (B.J. and S. Smith).

Description Length: 50-70 cm. Adults in breeding season: Plumage pure white. About 50 cm long, recurved plumes grow from the egret's back and extend slightly beyond its tail. Bill black, yellow at base of upper mandible; legs black; feet yellow. Adults after breeding season, and immatures: Without plumes.

Range Breeds from Maine and California south locally to Argentina and Chile.

Remarks This dainty little heron is one of the most charming of our marsh birds. The beauty of its snowy plumage, especially when enhanced by long, waving plumes, and the exquisite, graceful, darting movements characteristic of its feeding, provides a picture not soon forgotten by the nature lover. Like other egrets this bird nearly met early extinction because of the commercial value of its lovely plumes.

The white plumage of immature birds resembles that of the immature Little Blue Heron; however, the black bill, black legs, and yellow feet of the Snowy Egret readily distinguish it from this heron, which has a paler bill and greenish legs.

In 1984, about six birds summered in the Black-crowned Night Heron colony on Bon Portage Island (although no nests were found). Groups have summered in other parts of western Nova Scotia and in Halifax County, and it is probable that the species will soon be on the province's list of breeding birds.

Observers should be alert to possible occurrences of the very similar Little Egret, Egretta garzetta, a wanderer from the Old World that has appeared twice in Newfoundland and once in Quebec. It has blue-grey rather than yellow at the base of the bill, never shows yellow up the back of the legs, and adults have two narrow head plumes instead of the shaggy mass of the Snowy Egret.