Their Feathers Were Once Worth More Than Gold, Little Egrets at the Lower Test Marshes, (near Mcdonalds).

During the 19th century, the long, delicate plumes that little egrets develop on their heads and necks during the breeding season were highly sought after to decorate ladies’ hats.

The demand was so intense that the feathers were literally worth more than their weight in gold, leading to severe overhunting that almost wiped out the population in parts of Europe until protective laws were introduced.