18 replies to this topic

[sfischer2250]

I'm wondering what age you believe this Great Egret to be? I have 2 shots so you can see his face and the body too. (Central Florida) Thanks, as always!

[spookyjimjams]

This looks to be a Great White Heron. A Great Egret would have black legs, but a GWH has yellowish legs. As for the age, all I could guess is that if it is an adult, it is not in breeding plumage, since there appears to be no plumes and the crest appears to be small.

[Benjamin DeHaven]

I would say that is an immature Little Blue Heron. If that was taken recently it is the right time and the right place for the all white Little Blue youngsters.

Benjamin DeHaven

[JimBob]

I would go with Little Blue too. . . but would like to hear others opinions.

[Liam]

Pale green lores suggests juvenile Snowy Egret over Little blue. The skin on the Little Blue's lores is less extensive than this, and kind of grayish-pinkish-greenish.

[spookyjimjams]

I figured if it was big enough to be mistaken for a Great Egret, then it wouldn't be a Little Blue Heron.

[fisherman1313]

For what it'sworth, I agree with Little Blue Heron. On a Snowy I'd expect to see a bit of a crest and some black on the legs. The lores on this bird look gray to me, as well.

[Liam]

For what it'sworth, I agree with Little Blue Heron. On a Snowy I'd expect to see a bit of a crest and some black on the legs. The lores on this bird look gray to me, as well.

Juvenile Snowy's don't show the crest, nor do they show the black on the legs.

[sfischer2250]

Wow - and I just thought it was a young GE. I shall look forward to more discussion and maybe a consensus!

[Joejr14]

Pale green lores suggests juvenile Snowy Egret over Little blue. The skin on the Little Blue's lores is less extensive than this, and kind of grayish-pinkish-greenish.

Agree, but....

Sibley's mentions... "small dark tips distinctive, but often difficult to see" referring to the wing tips of a juvie Little blue. Snowy's wouldn't show any black tips, so I'm in the LBH camp. Perhaps some of the other off color issues are a result of improper white balance?

[fisherman1313]

Juvenile Snowy's don't show the crest, nor do they show the black on the legs.

Peterson: "A medium sized heron with...black legs,...young birds may show yellowih or greeninh on much of the rear side of legs"
National Geograpgic: "Distinguished from immature Little Blue Heron by...predominantly dark legs"
Stokes: "legs extensively yellow-green, especially on back"

Stokes also shows a juv. with a slight crest on page 128 (upper right).

[Liam]

See Sibley's. He notes: "some individual juveniles show pale bill and legs Jul-Sep". I have seen many Snowy Egrets without crests. Here is an older individual I saw last November. It has already grown in the black on the bill and the front of the legs, but it doesn't yet have a crest.

[sfischer2250]

I'm looking also...the greenish legs are quite prominent. It seems I had 2 of them:

[fisherman1313]

I'm not saying they all have crests, just that some do. And, some individuals do show pale legs but from my experience most show at least some black.

[Liam]

I'm not saying they all have crests, just that some do. And, some individuals do show pale legs but from my experience most show at least some black.

"Most" being the key word.

[psweet]

Little Blue -- as Joejr pointed out, the dark tips on the primaries are diagnostic.

[sfischer2250]

Are you all agreeing that these are juvenile Little Blue Herons? After looking at numerous photos today, I am fairly well convinced that they are LBH. I just took this photo of the 2 of them who seemed like they were playing! They have been here all day today!

[Liam]

Well it was worth a shot.
Digging that hole of shame now.

[Joejr14]

Yes, imo they're LBH's.