Yesterday morning, I encountered my first snowy egret of the season at Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area. Uncommon migrants and summer visitors in Central Missouri, they are easily distinguished from great egrets by their smaller size, black bill, yellow feet and a more active feeding style.
Both snowy and great egrets are best found along southern coasts of the U.S.; while great egrets are common summer residents along the Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio River Valleys (and are also rather common in the Great Lakes Region), inland snowy egrets are found primarily in the Western U.S. Indeed, snowy egrets are far more common than great egrets along the Colorado Front Range.
Of course, this distinction may become invalid as our climate warms. As with many other avian species, their seasonal ranges will likely shift northward and their presence will relate more to suitable habitat than to latitude. For now, here in Missouri, we'll enjoy spotting the occasional snowy egret among flocks of their larger cousins.
