Intermediate / Yellow-billed Egret, Oman (1 Viewer)

[AlinoVegano]

Hi there,

A friend is asking me help, not sure about it. Are "Intermediate" Egrets of Oman African or Asian version (split in HBW)?

Can we see some features on the photo to make the difference? Thanks.

Alino

 

[MJB]

Hi there,

A friend is asking me help, not sure about it. Are "Intermediate" Egrets of Oman African or Asian version (split in HBW)?

Can we see some features on the photo to make the difference? Thanks.

Alino

Those in Africa Ardea brachyrhynca are Yellow-billed Egret, those in New Guinea and Australia A. plumifera are Plumed Egret and those in between, including Oman A. intermedia sensu novo, retain the English name 'Intermediate Egret'.

As per, for example, del Hoyo, J, N Collar and GM Kirwan. 2014. Yellow-billed Egret (Ardea brachyrhyncha). In: del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, J Sargatal, D Christie and E de Juana. Eds. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

I'll leave the ID magicians to answer your last question!
MJB

 

[AlinoVegano]

"Those in Africa Ardea brachyrhynca are Yellow-billed Egret, those in New Guinea and Australia A. plumifera are Plumed Egret and those in between, including Oman A. intermedia sensu novo, retain the English name 'Intermediate Egret'.

Southern Oman is Afro-tropical, and maps of HBW alive and avibase don't show neither Intermediate or Yellow-billed in Oman. Do you have any link showing that is indeed intermedia in Oman?

 

[andyb39]

Intermediate Egret does occur in Oman, usually around the coastal inlets around Salalah in winter, and is becoming increasingly regular. Most birds seem to be of Indo-Malay origin, as they tend to have black-tipped bills in winter. My friend Rob Tovey lived in Salalah for two years and photographed a number of individuals, most of which do have black tips to the bill. I also saw several but paid more attention to the gapeline than the bill, to be honest. There are a couple of photos of his which show birds without a black-tipped bill and slightly greenish face and lores, but I'd need his permission to reproduce them here.

Your friend's bird shows a hint of a black tip to the bill and yellow lores and face, so I'd say it's more likely to be intermedia.

 

[AlinoVegano]

Intermediate Egret does occur in Oman, usually around the coastal inlets around Salalah in winter, and is becoming increasingly regular. Most birds seem to be of Indo-Malay origin, as they tend to have black-tipped bills in winter. My friend Rob Tovey lived in Salalah for two years and photographed a number of individuals, most of which do have black tips to the bill. I also saw several but paid more attention to the gapeline than the bill, to be honest. There are a couple of photos of his which show birds without a black-tipped bill and slightly greenish face and lores, but I'd need his permission to reproduce them here.

Your friend's bird shows a hint of a black tip to the bill and yellow lores and face, so I'd say it's more likely to be intermedia.

Many thanks!

 

[BirdingRob]

As Andy says, the birds we get in Oman are mostly if not all of the "Asian version" as you call it.

Rob

 

[AlinoVegano]

As Andy says, the birds we get in Oman are mostly if not all of the "Asian version" as you call it.

Rob

Thanks Rob, I just found your reply now, to finally give the information to my friend, fortunately i ask me if I got a definitive answer.

And thank all! :t:

 

[MJB]

As Andy says, the birds we get in Oman are mostly if not all of the "Asian version" as you call it. Rob

Hi Rob,
Have you ever photographed the 'African version' (brachyrhunca) in Oman? The OSME Region List has no record of one, so if you have any candidates, it would be a first for Oman, the OSME Region and for the extended WP in Dominic Mitchell's new WP Checklist....
MJB

 

[AlinoVegano]

Hi MJB,

the extended WP in Dominic Mitchell's new WP Checklist

Is that document available online? If yes, can you give me the link, it sounds interesting? Thanks.

But (African) Yellow-billed Egret is already in WP anyway, as it occurs regularly in Cape Verde.

 

[MJB]

Hi MJB, Is that document available online? If yes, can you give me the link, it sounds interesting? Thanks. But (African) Yellow-billed Egret is already in WP anyway, as it occurs regularly in Cape Verde.

It's a new Lynx Edicions book. I reviewed it for OSME and that's on the current home page at www.osme.org.

Thanks for the info about brachyrhyncus in Cabo Verde - I should have guessed that was likely (Never mind the argument going on in another thread!
MJB

 

[AlinoVegano]

It's a new Lynx Edicions book. I reviewed it for OSME and that's on the current home page at www.osme.org.

Thanks for the info about brachyrhyncus in Cabo Verde - I should have guessed that was likely (Never mind the argument going on in another thread!
MJB

Thanks for the link :t: