It also occurs throughout the year in the West Indies, Florida and coastal regions of North and Central America.

Elsewhere, in the southern part of the United States, it is migratory, breeding in California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.

[9] The birds eat fish, crustaceans (such as crabs, shrimp and crayfish),[10] insects, small reptiles (such as lizards and snakes),[11] snails, frogs, toads[12] and worms (especially earthworms and other annelids).

Snowy egrets may also stand still and wait to ambush prey, or hunt for insects stirred up by domestic animals in open fields.

The male establishes a territory and starts building the nest in a tree, vines or thick undergrowth.

It is constructed from twigs, rushes, sedges, grasses, Spanish moss and similar materials and may be 15 in (38 cm) across.

[14][15][16][17] In the early twentieth century, the snowy egret was hunted extensively for their long breeding plumes that fashionable ladies wore on their hats.