If you see a Reddish Egret in the shallows of a marsh, just pause for a bit because you may be about to witness an exotic performance. With wings arched over its head, the bird leaps into the air then rushes sideways through the water. The choreography of crisscrossing feet is worthy of Fred Astaire.
We came across this spectacle on the edge of Galveston Island State Park in coastal Texas one recent rainy afternoon. The scene was transfixing: the egret leaps from the water one moment, tilts its heads far over to the side in the next and then appears to tiptoe.
Made all the more compelling by its willowy springtime breeding plumage, this bird isn’t dancing for our benefit. He’s busy working, and the grand finale is a beak full of fish.
In researching what may be the most beautiful of the egret species, we learned that every part of this comical ritual has purpose. When the bird dances through the shallows, he’s stirring up the fish. By raising his wings overhead, he’s creating a shadow that draws prey to within easy striking distance. A strange and gawky lurch forward is actually an attempt to catch the next fish unawares.
On the rainy day we watched our egret, the shallows were full of food. Over and over he jammed his entire head into the water, catching something every time. A few of the fish were small, but several took some effort to swallow — yet another show worth watching.
The Reddish Egret gets its name from a rusty-colored head and neck on a grayish body. They’re found along the Atlantic coast as far north as Maryland, and along the Pacific, its range stretches north to central California. It’s also found in Central and South America — from Mexico to the top of Columbia. Sometimes they can be seen in inland wetlands from coast to coast in the southern half of the United States. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the Reddish Egret is most plentiful in Texas and Florida. Here’s Cornell’s range map:
We watched our bird perform in the rain until he made its way out of sight, still dancing and jabbing for fish. We waited a while in hopes of an encore, but the show appeared to be over.
Note: This post originally ran in May of 2021. We’re reposting some of our favorite evergreen stories as we finished up the book promotion for “A Wing and a Prayer: The Race to Save our Vanishing Birds.”
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