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Egreta thula

A rather small white heron with a slender black bill, black legs, and yellow feet. Recurved plumes on the back during breeding season. A yellow loral spot before the eye (red when breeding). When feeding rushes about, shuffling feet to stir up food.

Similar species - (1) Great Egret (yellow bill); (2) Cattle egret (yellow bill); (3) young Little Blue Heron (bluish bill).

Voice - A low croak; in colony, a bubbling wulla-wulla-wulla.

Range - Northern US to Argentina.

Habitat - Marshes, swamps, ponds, shores and tideflats.