snowy heron
    n 1: small New World egret [syn: snowy egret, snowy heron,
         Egretta thula]

Snowy \Snow"y\, a.
   1. White like snow. "So shows a snowy dove trooping with
      crows." --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Abounding with snow; covered with snow. "The snowy top of
      cold Olympus." --Milton.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. Fig.: Pure; unblemished; unstained; spotless.
      [1913 Webster]

            There did he lose his snowy innocence. --J. Hall
                                                  (1646).
      [1913 Webster]

   Snowy heron (Zool.), a white heron, or egret (Ardea
      candidissima), found in the Southern United States, and
      southward to Chile; -- called also plume bird.

   Snowy lemming (Zool.), the collared lemming (Cuniculus
      torquatus), which turns white in winter.

   Snowy owl (Zool.), a large arctic owl (Nyctea Scandiaca,
      or Nyctea nivea) common all over the northern parts of
      the United States and Europe in winter time. Its plumage
      is sometimes nearly pure white, but it is usually more or
      less marked with blackish spots. Called also white owl.
      

   Snowy plover (Zool.), a small plover (Aegialitis nivosa)
      of the western parts of the United States and Mexico. It
      is light gray above, with the under parts and portions of
      the head white.
      [1913 Webster]