Displaying Egret at Wakodahachee, Florida (1 Viewer)

[Chris in France]

I took this photo of two Egrets during apparent courtship displays. The one on the right appears to be a Cattle Egret but the one on the left has a black bill and pink lores, which may be a Snowy Egret but I am puzzled that the lores are not yellow. Is it not a Snowy Egret after all?

 

[MariettaBirder]

Cattle Egret

 

[ovenbird43]

Yes- bird on the left is a Snowy Egret, the other is a Cattle Egret.

 

[njlarsen]

Agree with two species in the picture. Were they fighting over the nest or something?

Niels

 

[Reuven_M]

Definitely snowy and cattle. There appears to be a third egret hidden behind, so maybe just a coincidence that they were close to each other?

 

[Chris in France]

Many thanks for the confirmation of the Snowy Egret ID. I assume the pink lores occur during the breeding season.

In answer to njlarsen, they were not fighting but displaying separately and close together. Wakodahachee has at least one very large bush in the swamp and close to the boardwalk which is shared by several species for breeding and displaying. On this particular bush, apart from the cattle and snowy, I photographed great egrets, great blue herons, glossy ibis, white ibis and anhinga, either courting or nesting and some had youngsters with them. It's an incredible place at this time of year.

 

[BuckeyeAZ]

I assume the pink lores occur during the breeding season.

Many species of heron are given to acquiring weird bare-part colours for a brief time when breeding.

 

[tconzemi]

Many species of heron are given to acquiring weird bare-part colours for a brief time when breeding.

Yes, and "brief time" sometimes means that color is changing within seconds during display o.
Tom

 

[Chris in France]

Ah, thanks, Buckeye and Tom, it explains my confusion.