Both birds eat by probing the water with their down-curving beaks, sometimes with their heads underwater. They eat crayfish, small crabs and insect larvae often dragged from their burrows. The White Ibis is currently the most common wading bird in Florida. Herons There are many kinds of herons in the Everglades, including the great blue heron, the little blue heron, the great white heron and the tricolored heron. Herons are more sight-oriented hunters than other wading birds, and when their beaks come down, they strike with immense deadly force.
Herons hunt alone and prefer deeper water than most wading birds.
The tricolored heron is the most aggressive hunter, chasing prey. The great egret was almost hunted to extinction for its beautiful plumes at the turn of the century. This bird hunts by standing motionless or walking very slowly. It eats fish, amphibians, reptiles and even small mammals. The snowy egret is smaller than the great egret, but a much more aggressive hunter.