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Unusual Heron - Florida (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Cliff99
- Start date
Nutcracker
Stop Brexit!
Eeew!
First guess, Snowy Egret x Little Blue Heron hybrid. But that is only a guess.
First guess, Snowy Egret x Little Blue Heron hybrid. But that is only a guess.
Cliff99
Well-known member
Are there any documented cases of such a hybrid? Some of the stuff I have read claims this would be next to impossible -
Nutcracker
Stop Brexit!
Not got the faintest idea!
Some of the duck hybrids and pheasant hybrids around also ought to be next to impossible, but they happen all the same
steveMc
Well-known member
First thought to me was Tricolored Heron as the pattern seems to match with the white down the throat. Definitely either some sort of colour issue (leucism) or maybe a hybrid.
Found this page:
http://www.nemesisbird.com/birding/identification/heron-hybrid-merritt-island-nwr-florida/
Where they show a few different hybrids, including Tricolored X Snowy Egret which may be the cause of the light colouring on this bird.
Very interesting bird indeed!
Found this page:
http://www.nemesisbird.com/birding/identification/heron-hybrid-merritt-island-nwr-florida/
Where they show a few different hybrids, including Tricolored X Snowy Egret which may be the cause of the light colouring on this bird.
Very interesting bird indeed!
Nutcracker
Stop Brexit!
That's probably a better bet than Little Blue x Snowy Egret.
I'd think Snowy has to be involved with the bright yellow lores and yellow feet.
stevethehydra
Well-known member
My first thought was a Tricolor Heron somehow missing its reddish pigments (a Bicolor Heron??), but what with the yellow feet and the bill being both black and probably smaller/finer than a Tricolor's bill "should" be, I think Tricolor x Snowy has to be the best explanation. Although it's not that similar to the Tricolor x Snowy hybrids at that link (this one's most similar: http://www.nemesisbird.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Snowy_Tricolor-Hybrid_2.jpg ) - but hybrids can vary as to which parent species they most resemble and I don't see any other combination producing this...
tom baxter
Well-known member
WOW that is an awesome bird!
