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Cliff99 · Thursday 13th January 2011, 02:43

Need help identifying this one

WACCOE · Thursday 13th January 2011, 05:26

Black Crowned Night Heron i think.

david kelly · Thursday 13th January 2011, 05:36

Not sure, but I don't think this is a Night Heron. Adult NH should show two tone wings with grey coverts and black flight feathers as well as a distinct black cap. I favour Little Blue Heron for this one.

David

WACCOE · Thursday 13th January 2011, 05:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by david kelly

Not sure, but I don't think this is a Night Heron. Adult NH should show two tone wings with grey coverts and black flight feathers as well as a distinct black cap. I favour Little Blue Heron for this one.

David

Should of added that its an immature bird not adult.

david kelly · Thursday 13th January 2011, 06:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by WACCOE

Should of added that its an immature bird not adult.

Imm Night Herons are streaked and brown, this bird is grey and unstreaked. The legs are too long for BCNH and he two tone bill rules out immature Yellow-crowned Night Heron and I don't think that the bird looks chunky enough for a Night Heron. I'm not sure my id is correct but I would still favour LBH.

David

Ethan Gyllenhaal · Thursday 13th January 2011, 06:15

I'll go with a young Yellow-crowned Night-heron. You can't see the streaks on the belly, but the short legs, stout bill patterning on the coverts point to a night-heron.

I don't think it is a Black-crowned because its bill looks all dark (Black-crowns have a distinctly paler base to the lower mandible), and very massive in comparison to the small head. Also note how the eye is quite large in comparison to the head size. Also, one thing I've learned about telling apart young night-herons is that your gut feeling (assuming you have experience with both species) is beneficial, and my first impression of the structure was for Yellow-crowned.

Ethan G

simmojunior · Thursday 13th January 2011, 06:20

I agree with immature yellow-crowned night heron though it has been three years since I have been to Costa Rica and my identification knowledge of Costa Rican birds is a bit rusty. Its bill is quite thick, which suggests yellow-crowned.

jaco · Thursday 13th January 2011, 12:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by david kelly

Imm Night Herons are streaked and brown, this bird is grey and unstreaked. The legs are too long for BCNH and he two tone bill rules out immature Yellow-crowned Night Heron and I don't think that the bird looks chunky enough for a Night Heron. I'm not sure my id is correct but I would still favour LBH.

Aside from all the features pointing toward a night-heron (I'd guess Yellow-crowned), immature Little Blue Herons are white.

mrmanning · Thursday 13th January 2011, 12:54

I don't think it is an adule LBH either, as the bill is no bi-coloured.

jacana · Thursday 13th January 2011, 13:24

Yellow-crowned Night Heron

**Larry Lade** · Thursday 13th January 2011, 13:55

I agree with Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, because of diminutive white spotting of the plumage, leg extension of the flying bird and the all dark bill.

J. Moore · Thursday 13th January 2011, 14:12

Definitely sub-adult Yellow-crowned Night Heron.

Best,
Jim

JANJ · Thursday 13th January 2011, 14:53

Yellow-crowned on bill structure alone.

http://www.surfbirds.com/Rarities/us...-aug-0201.html

JanJ

birding maniac · Thursday 13th January 2011, 15:32

Yellow Crowned for me.

njlarsen · Thursday 13th January 2011, 16:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by JANJ

Yellow-crowned on bill structure alone.

http://www.surfbirds.com/Rarities/us...-aug-0201.html

JanJ

Agree completely, that bill that tapers evenly is YC; BC has a bill that tapers down.

Niels

david kelly · Thursday 13th January 2011, 19:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaco

Aside from all the features pointing toward a night-heron (I'd guess Yellow-crowned), immature Little Blue Herons are white.

It was the the second poster who said it was an immature, I never said that. I have seen one adult YCNH in my puff and no immatures. I have seen a few more BCNH and LBHs though. I can see a two tone bill and no streaking on the upperparts, which i would expect from an immature Night Heron.

However, the consensus of those who are more familiar with all three species than me say immature YCNH so I would say that that is probably what it is.

Cheers from a country with one species of breeding Ardeid, Ardea cinerea.

David

Cliff99 · Thursday 13th January 2011, 19:18

After looking at several photos of an immature yellow-crowned I took in Sept in the FWI, I would also agree with YC. Thanks for all the comments
Cliff

Thursday 13th January 2011, 02:43	#1
Cliff99 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Connecticut Posts: 48	Costa Rica Jan 2011 - Mangrove on Pacific Coast Need help identifying this one Attached Thumbnails

Thursday 13th January 2011, 05:36	#3
david kelly Drive-by Birder Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Tranent Posts: 812	Not sure, but I don't think this is a Night Heron. Adult NH should show two tone wings with grey coverts and black flight feathers as well as a distinct black cap. I favour Little Blue Heron for this one. David __________________ We ain't never gonna change We ain't doin' nuthin' wrong

Thursday 13th January 2011, 12:54	#9
mrmanning Southern Ontario Birder Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Hamilton,Ontario Posts: 512 My location	I don't think it is an adule LBH either, as the bill is no bi-coloured. __________________ Ontario Life List: 279 Latest Ontario Lifers:Wilson's Storm petrel, Leach's Storm Petrel, Harlequin Duck Ontario Year List: 45 Latest Ontario Year Bird: Barn Swallow

Thursday 13th January 2011, 13:24	#10
jacana Will Jones Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Uppsala, Sweden Posts: 3,893 My location	Yellow-crowned Night Heron __________________ Latest Lifer: Marsh Warbler (916) Latest UK Lifer: Little Swift (306) Latest Sweden Lifer: Little Gull (179)

Thursday 13th January 2011, 13:55	#11
Larry Lade Super Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Saint Joseph, Missouri, USA Posts: 12,070 Blog Entries: 1 My location	I agree with Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, because of diminutive white spotting of the plumage, leg extension of the flying bird and the all dark bill. __________________ Larry (* I had a nice WHIMBREL at Muskrat Lake the other day, April 18, 2012. Rare/accidental here in Missouri)
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Thursday 13th January 2011, 05:26	#2
WACCOE Marching on Together Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Pontefract Posts: 782	Black Crowned Night Heron i think.

Thursday 13th January 2011, 06:15	#6
Ethan Gyllenhaal Registered User Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Illinois Posts: 33	I'll go with a young Yellow-crowned Night-heron. You can't see the streaks on the belly, but the short legs, stout bill patterning on the coverts point to a night-heron. I don't think it is a Black-crowned because its bill looks all dark (Black-crowns have a distinctly paler base to the lower mandible), and very massive in comparison to the small head. Also note how the eye is quite large in comparison to the head size. Also, one thing I've learned about telling apart young night-herons is that your gut feeling (assuming you have experience with both species) is beneficial, and my first impression of the structure was for Yellow-crowned. Ethan G

Thursday 13th January 2011, 06:20	#7
simmojunior Registered User Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: London Posts: 732	I agree with immature yellow-crowned night heron though it has been three years since I have been to Costa Rica and my identification knowledge of Costa Rican birds is a bit rusty. Its bill is quite thick, which suggests yellow-crowned.

Thursday 13th January 2011, 14:12	#12
J. Moore postmodern birder Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Washington D.C. area (formerly MA) Posts: 5,710	Definitely sub-adult Yellow-crowned Night Heron. Best, Jim __________________ Please report your bird sightings to eBird (http://ebird.org/content/ebird/about)!

Thursday 13th January 2011, 14:53	#13
JANJ Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Sweden Posts: 7,796	Yellow-crowned on bill structure alone. http://www.surfbirds.com/Rarities/us...-aug-0201.html JanJ

Thursday 13th January 2011, 15:32	#14
birding maniac Michael M Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: South Durham Posts: 1,701	Yellow Crowned for me.

Thursday 13th January 2011, 19:18	#17
Cliff99 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Connecticut Posts: 48	After looking at several photos of an immature yellow-crowned I took in Sept in the FWI, I would also agree with YC. Thanks for all the comments Cliff

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