The Wonders of God’s Creation
“And 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, including Florida and other Gulf Coast areas, the coasts of California and Oregon, and in scattered locations from Maine to Texas, as well as 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 the 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 of time in water halfway up their legs, waiting for a desirable bit of food to appear. Then, quicker than your eye could follow, the long neck stretches out and its sharp beak stabs its victim, which it quickly eats.
Nesting is usually in high places in trees — the male first picking 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 straight up skyward. At the same time his beak changes colors to show how excited he is. Sometime during the performance he may take 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 worked their way northward into nearby areas of the United States — mainly Florida. In more recent times numbers of them have moved on into many other states, as mentioned at the beginning.
The scripture verse at the opening of this article tells us how this interesting bird, in its many varieties — along with all other birds — was brought forth on the earth, and the Creator instructed them to thereafter “bring forth after its kind.” And that is exactly what has taken place with each variety. They are here today because God arranged it 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 look on such lovely creatures.
In our next issue we will consider some of the species in more detail.
(to be continued)
ML-09/17/1989