May 22, 2024 · Slightly smaller and more sleek than great blue herons, great egrets are perhaps one of the most elegant birds of North America. Their pure white feathers are set off by shiny black legs and a long slender yellow bill.

Long-legged wading bird with a long, S-curved neck and a daggerlike bill. "American" Great Egrets occur across much of North America and South America. Breeding adults have an orange-yellow bill and develop showy plumes (known as aigrettes) that they use in courtship displays.

Jul 21, 2014 · Snowy Egrets are medium-sized, slender wading birds with white plumage and a long, straight black beak. They have long black legs with yellow feet (often referred to as “yellow slippers” by birders), a small yellow spot in front of each eye, and long, broad wings.

Among the most elegant of the herons, the slender Snowy Egret sets off immaculate white plumage with black legs and brilliant yellow feet. Those feet seem to play a role in stirring up or herding small aquatic animals as the egret forages.

With their long black legs and bright yellow beaks, great egrets are perfect for wading into shallow water and catching prey. During the breeding season, the adult birds develop delicate lacy plumes on their backs and become attractive.

Mar 13, 2025 · The Great Egret has black legs and a yellow-orange beak, while a white heron will have lighter, grayish legs and a heavier beak. In addition, the Great White also prefers saltwater, inhabiting mangroves, tidal shallows, or coastal ponds.

Cattle Egret. Small white egret; Yellow beak; Prefers grassy fields; Almost always seen in groups. Cattle Egrets are oddballs of the Texas egrets because they aren’t usually attracted to water. Instead they gather in fields with medium high grass to hunt for insects.

Mar 19, 2018 · The Intermediate Egret has a shorter, thicker yellow beak that may turn red or black in the breeding season. The Great Egret has a long, thin, yellow beak that may become darker in the breeding season. The Little Egret does not have a black line underneath its eye.

Jul 27, 2014 · On Great Egret (center), it’s always yellow. On Cattle Egret (bottom), it’s red-orange (although it turns yellow when the bird is not breeding). The shapes of the bills are different, too — long and slender on Snowy Egret, broad and dagger-like on Great Egret, and short on Cattle Egret.

Jul 4, 2015 · Saw this Little Egret today at Burton Mere Wetlands in a group of 20+ Little Egrets. The yellow beak was quite striking. Is it a juv bird or is it a pigmentation issue?