For the Chief, and anyone who wants a quick and easy reference on how to tell the difference between the Snowy and Great Egrets, both white and both often times found feeding in the marsh and tide pools together. The Great Egret is greater in size and has a bright yellow bill, with black legs and black feet. The smaller Snowy Egret has the opposite markings, with unmistakeable cadmium yellow feet and a black bill.
Snowy Egret and Great Egret
In the above photo taken this morning, the egrets were too far away for my camera’s lens to get a really clear picture however, when cropped, you can see a side-by-side comparison. The Snowy Egret, with black bill and bright yellow feet, is flying in the background and the Great Egret, with black feet and yellow bill, is perched.
Great Egret Lobster Cove
More posts about Great Egret and Snowy Egrets:
BIRDS OF CAPE ANN: GREAT EGRET VS. GREAT EGRET
BEAUTIFUL GOOD HARBOR FOGGY MORNING SUNRISE, SNOWY EGRET, AND WHIMBRELS
Good Morning Gloucester 
You take lovely photos, no matter what the subject. A great skill! And just to get both the Snowy and the Great Egret in one picture is priceless!
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Thank you so much Deb for your kind words.
There are so many egrets this summer, both Snowy and Great, that I hope to get another chance to try again for them both.
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Thanks for the lesson here Kim – we get some this way and maybe I be able to put it all together now – some this way hang around the rice fields because of the standing water and food supply. 🙂 Dave & Kim:-)
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Is there a great white heron, too? I get these birds all mixed up.
Thanks!
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Hi Susan,
Yes there is but it gets a little complicated. The Great Egret is sometimes called the Great White Heron and, to complicate things even further, there is a sub species of Great Blue Herons, which live in the mangrove forests in southernmost Florida, called Great White Heron.
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As usual, Kim, great photography punctuated by knowledge of subjects, a winning combination to be sure!
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Oh Leslie, thank you for your very kind comment!
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I knew I’d find an answer on whether I photographed a snowy egret or a heron
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