Japan (Tokyo Bay) - Help with Egrets (1 Viewer)

[Ross Thompson]

Hello there

Quick question about Egret identification. I took the photos below today (December) near Haneda airport but am a little confused about which type. I am fairly sure it is not a Great White, due to lack of a significant neck-kink, and what seems to be a shorter gap-line. The black bill suggests a Little Egret, but it was a lot bigger than most LEs that I'm used to seeing (2/3 - 3/4 the size of a GWE). Also, its slower, more graceful movements made me think not a LE. This leaves an Intermediate Egret - but would it have a dark bill in December? I didn't get a chance to see the feet, as it was in water the whole time.

Any help would be appreciated,
Ross

 

[Butty]

it was a lot bigger than most LEs that I'm used to seeing (2/3 - 3/4 the size of a GWE)

Judging the size of a lone bird is notoriously unreliable. And note that little egret is roughly ⅔ the size (length) of great egret.

 

[RichieTwitchy]

Judging the size of a lone bird is notoriously unreliable. And note that little egret is roughly ⅔ the size (length) of great egret.

Is the correct answer.

I was away in South Shields earlier this year and was convinced I was watching (in the far distance) a GWE walking along the water's edge strutting its stuff, but when I returned home and zoomed into the photos I had taken, I was disappointed to find that is was just a bog-standard ordinary Little Egret - no offence meant to any Little Egrets reading this by the way.

 

[Ross Thompson]

Fair enough, although it wasn't a lone bird. There was a Great White Egret nearby. I'm used to seeing big flocks of the two together here, and the size disparity was much less than usual.

 

[foresttwitcher]

I believe from other posts I have read in this forum that the modesta subspecies of Great Egret is smaller than the nominate alba and thus closer in size to Intermediate - hopefully MacNara will be along with his thoughts.

 

[HouseCrow]

The size difference between both ssp of Great Egret is is not properly notable i'm afraid...not in the field.
I would say these are Little Egret.
Medium/Intermediate is less elegant and finely formed, easily confused sometimes (in inaturalist) with both Cattle Egret and Great Egret.

Cheers
gerben