, fluffed up feathers mean he is the aggressor of the group

But rather than being scared of his

This is the hilarious moment a group of birds run away scared from a fellow heron whose feathers had turned fluffy.

The birds couldn't wait to dash after after seeing the frizzy hair belonging to the snowy egret, which began to make its way towards them.

But rather than the birds running away because they did not want to be seen with the outsider, they actually fled because his fluffed up feathers mean he is the 'aggressor' of the group.

The snowy egret, with fluffed up feathers, that was pictured roaming the salt marshes in South Carolina

Snowy egrets are said to get 'perpetually aggravated' and usually have one aggressor in their flock, who tends to be the largest male, who puffs out his feathers.

And wildlife photographer Phil Lanou captured the images of the strange-looking feathered creature at a salt marsh in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina.

Mr Lanou, who is from the state, said: 'The marsh where I took these is located very near the Atlantic Ocean and the entire area is tide dependent. This is taking place during low tide.

When some of the other birds in the group saw the egret, they seemed to dash away in fear

But rather than being scared by their appearance, fluffed up feathers means that the bird is an aggressor

'As is often the case with snowy egrets, as springtime breeding season arrives some tend to get a bit more territorial and aggressive.

'Although, snowys seem to be almost perpetually aggravated.

'The main aggressor pretty much always gets himself all fluffed up and appears particularly agitated.

'The birds that looks smaller may be a bit younger, but once one gets all fluffed up they appear larger than the other snowys anyway.'