During the Victorian times, Little Egret feathers were highly valued for fashionable headgear. This led to a massive decline in the bird population. The demand for Egret feathers was immense. The birds were farmed and hunted extensively. The plumes were worth more than gold. This unsustainable trade ultimately spurred the creation of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Continued Reflections from my World. 
Beautiful.
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I wonder how many birds went extinct because of our vanity? I think the Dodo was hunted for it’s feathers?
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The same thing happened with the beautiful Snowy Egret’s plumes here and they were similarly priced, ounce for ounce, like gold for the people who wanted them for hats, so President Theodore Roosevelt spearheaded the Migratory Bird Act of 1918, a law making it a federal crime to kill non-game birds or to collect bird parts, including feathers.
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Yes. The people looked silly in them, the birds are enduring fashionistas. Great photos.
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