![\"snowy](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/snowy-egret-7552-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe\u00a0distinctive bright yellow feet and deeply contrasting jet-black legs\u00a0of the Snowy Egret can really grab your eye when they’re visible above the water’s surface or even when the\u00a0egret is in flight – so much so that both the bird and its feet are often referred to as “golden slippers”.<\/p>\n
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1\/2000, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Nine days ago I photographed this egret as it was\u00a0frantically hunting for small fish and invertebrates\u00a0on Glover’s Pond.\u00a0 I enjoy seeing the bird running across the surface as it used its wings for support and propulsion in pursuit of prey but it’s mostly those distinctive feet that catch my eye.<\/p>\n There are 34 described hunting behaviors in herons (egrets are considered to be herons) and Snowy Egrets employ 21 of them.\u00a0\u00a0Five of those 21 hunting\u00a0techniques (foot-raking, foot-probing, foot-paddling,\u00a0foot-dragging and especially foot-stirring) take full advantage of those shockingly bright feet which they use to\u00a0scare up\u00a0prey hiding in or near the substrate.\u00a0 I’ve often watched these egrets using “foot stirring” to\u00a0disturb prey as they hunt.<\/p>\n Every time I see that behavior or those yellow feet I marvel once again at the wonders of adaptation and evolution.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n Note:\u00a0 The bird is a bit centered in the frame but I wanted to include as much of the water disturbance as was practical.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The distinctive bright yellow feet and deeply contrasting jet-black legs of the Snowy Egret can really grab your eye when they’re visible above the water’s surface or even when the egret is in flight – so much so that both the bird and its feet are often referred to as “golden slippers”.<\/p>\n