Whitemarsh Island in Chatham County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
Great Egret
Ardea alba
⎯⎯⎯
Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
Great Egret
Ardea alba These elegant, long-legged and long-necked wading birds spend late spring displaying their showy, white breeding plumage. They can be seen hunting along the edges of ponds, rivers and creeks for small aquatic vertebrates and invertebrates in the classic egret fashion; standing immobile or wading through wetlands to capture prey with a deadly jab of their sharp yellow bill.
Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
Snowy egrets are slender, medium-sized wading birds that are smaller than the great egret. This egret has yellow feet (think yellow "snow" boots) and a black beak, while the great egret has black feet and a yellow beak. Just like its larger relative, the snowy egret survives on a diet of small aquatic animals. They can be found wading in shallow water stirring the sediments with their feet to rouse up prey.
Did You Know?
During the late 1800s, these birds were hunted for their showy breeding plumage used by the fashion industry. These feathers sold for up to $32 an ounce, which nearly wiped out the egrets in the United States. Reforms were passed in the early 20th century protecting these and
this page online
Erected by Oatland Island Wildlife Center.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Environment • Industry & Commerce.
Location. 32° 3.158′ N, 81° 1.224′ W. Marker is on Whitemarsh Island, Georgia, in Chatham County. It can be reached from Barley Drive west of Sandtown Road, on the right. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 706 Sandtown Rd, Savannah GA 31410, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Georgia’s Coastal Plain, on the Georgia Coast and the Golden Isles, in Greater Savannah, and on the Sea Islands. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: EF-1 Tornado Strikes! (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named EF-1 Tornado Strikes! (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Delk Cabin (about 500 feet away); Cane Grinder (about 500 feet away); Delk-Dawson Heritage Homestead (about 500 feet away); Cane Boiler (about 500 feet away); Gray Wolf (about 600 feet away); Ossabaw Island Hog (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Whitemarsh Island.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 31, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 31, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 15 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 31, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
