Snowy Egret Courtship Dance
Florida, USA
In breeding plumage, adult Snowy Egrets have long, delicate, wispy plumes on their backs, breasts, and heads, along with reddish-orange lores (bare skin in front of the eyes) and rich orange-yellow feet. The bare skin in front of the eyes changes from bright yellow to a vivid reddish-orange. The feet are sometimes described as "golden slippers". The ornamental feathers, called aigrettes, grow to be very long, especially on the back and neck, and are used in elaborate courtship displays.
Males and females look similar in their breeding plumage. Despite these changes, the birds remain nearly pure white year-round.
Photo © copyright by Dr. Edward Mikol.
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