“God created . . . every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying . . . let fowl multiply in the earth.”
Genesis 1:21-2221And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 22And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. (Genesis 1:21‑22)
Egrets are found in several parts of the world but most commonly in Africa, South and Central America, and parts of the United States. This would include Florida and other Gulf Coast areas, the coasts of California and Oregon, also scattered locations from Maine to Texas, and a few in Utah.
With few exceptions, such as the cattle egrets, the vast majority of these birds seek out shallow waters along the shores of lakes, rivers or swamps where they wade through marshy areas to find fish, frogs, small birds and other creatures that form the major part of their food supply. Their method of capturing these is to stand motionless for long periods in water about a foot deep, waiting for a desirable bit of food to appear. Then, quicker than your eye can follow, the long neck stretches out and its long, sharp beak stabs its victim, which it quickly swallows.
Nesting is usually high in a tree where the male first picks a suitable spot where a nest of dead sticks and twigs can be lodged securely. Often whole colonies nest in close groups. Having found the right spot, the male then tries to win the attention of a female for a mate, attracting her with repeated, loud calls until she comes to look him over.
Then, with a display of his beautiful feathers, wide-spread wings, and the plumes on his back lifted up, he goes through a variety of poses, either twisting his neck up over his back or extending it skyward. At the same time his beak changes colors to show how excited he is. Sometime during this display, he may pick up a dry stick in his beak and offer it to her, to work up her interest in nesting together.
Over the years many egrets have migrated from Africa to South and Central America, and some have worked their way northward into nearby areas of the United States - mainly Florida. In more recent times, numbers of them have moved into many other states, as mentioned in the first paragraph.
The Scripture verse at the opening of this article tells us how the many varieties of this interesting bird -along with all other birds - were brought forth on the earth, and the Creator instructed them thereafter to bring forth after their kind. And that is exactly what has taken place with each variety. They are here today because God arranged them for His pleasure, as well as ours. He created them with the same, present beauty we see today. Let us thank Him for this wonderful provision every time we see such lovely creatures.
(to be continued)
ML-09/05/2004