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'''Alternative Name(s): Yellow-billed Egret''' | '''Alternative Name(s): Yellow-billed Egret''' | ||
[[Image:Intermediate_Egret.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|rony_roshtov|rony_roshtov}}<br />Yotveta, [[Israel]], November 2004]] | [[Image:Intermediate_Egret.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|rony_roshtov|rony_roshtov}}<br />Yotveta, [[Israel]], November 2004]] | ||
| − | ;[[:Category: | + | ;[[:Category:Ardea|Ardea]] intermedia |
''Mesophoyx intermedia''<br /> | ''Mesophoyx intermedia''<br /> | ||
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==Identification== | ==Identification== | ||
56–72 cm (22-28 in) | 56–72 cm (22-28 in) | ||
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{{Video|Intermediate_Egret}} | {{Video|Intermediate_Egret}} | ||
| − | [[Category:Birds]] [[Category: | + | [[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Ardea]] [[Category:Mesophoyx]] [[Category:Videos]] |
Revision as of 18:47, 23 April 2016
Alternative Name(s): Yellow-billed Egret
- Ardea intermedia
Mesophoyx intermedia
Egretta intermedia
Identification
56–72 cm (22-28 in)
- White plumage
- Slight crest
Similar Species
In distinguishing this species from Great Egret, notice particularly how Intermediate's gape stops at the rear of the eye, while Great's extends farther back, and how the feathered chin of Intermediate extends farther forward along the gonys. The shorter bill also gives Intermediate's head a more triangular look than the attenuated snake-like head of Great Egret.
Legs evidently occur in a range of shades from black to dark yellow.
Distribution
A widespread Old World species.
Found throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Sudan and south to South Africa but absent from the most arid and densely forested areas.
Also occurs over much of the Indian subcontinent, east to southern China, southern Korea and southern Japan and south to the Philippines. western Borneo, Sumatra and Java. Further east occurs in southern New Guinea and in Australia mainly in the north and east.
Northern Asian birds are migratory, those from Africa merely dispersive.
Recorded as a scarce spring and summer visitor to the Banc D'Arguin in Mauritania, and a vagrant to the Cape Verde Islands, Egypt and at the Dead Sea in Jordan.
In May 2001 the first Intermediate Egret for Europe was recorded in a small wetland close to Rome, Italy, and remained there until August. In Asia vagrants have been recorded north to Sakhalin.
Australian birds may undergo migratory movements and may occur only in New Guinea in winter.
On May 31st, 2006 a dead Intermediate Egret was found on Buldir Island in Alaska's Aleutian Island chain. It constituted the first record for North America.
Taxonomy
Which genus this bird belongs to is not at all clear, it is equally often placed in Egretta as in Mesophoyx and has even been placed in Ardea in the past.
Subspecies
There are three recognized subspecies[1]:
- E. intermedia (Asia):
- Japan to southern India and Greater Sundas
- E. plumifera (Australasia):
- New Guinea, eastern Indonesia and Australia
- E. brachyrhyncha (Africa)
- Africa south of the Sahara
Habitat
Freshwaters, including slow-flowing rivers, lakes and swamps, also coastal mudflats and mangroves, sometimes grassland.
Behaviour
Breeding
Breeds in colonies, often with other species of herons/egrets.
Diet
Their diet consists of smaller fish, eels, frogs, snakes and insects.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2014. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.9., with updates to August 2014. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved July 2015)
- BF Member observations
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Medium Egret. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 26 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Medium_Egret
External Links
