Snowy Egret at Cedar Island North Carolina
by Bob Decker
Title
Snowy Egret at Cedar Island North Carolina
Artist
Bob Decker
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
A small member of the heron family, a Snowy Egret ( Egretta thula ) hunts along the beach at Cedar Island, North Carolina. These elegant birds have been known to mate with other heron species such as the Little Blue Heron, Tricolor Heron and Cattle Egret, sometimes producing hybrid offspring. The color on the back and head of this individual may indicate that it is such a hybrid. Adult Snowy Egrets are typically solid white with the exception of their black legs and bills, bright yellow feet a facial skin. I am becoming more and more suspicious that this bird is a Snowy x Cattle Egret hybrid.
During mating season adults develop fine, long feathers on their heads, necks and backs. This plummage was once highly valued and the birds were nearly hunted to extinction until reforms were put in place in the early twenth century.
As adults both the female and male take turns incubating the eggs. They also share duties tending to the young after hatching.
Cedar Island is located at the northeastern tip of Carteret County, aka the Crystal Coast. It ia accessed via a causeway. A NC Ferry Terminal is located on the island that transports people to Ocracoke Island.
Uploaded
August 1st, 2021
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Viewed 868 Times - Last Visitor from Ottawa, ON - Canada on 04/18/2024 at 3:39 PM
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