Crane, Heron, Egret? (1 Viewer)

[solinadave]

Hi everybody,
I was watching this bird for about half an hour the other day, while it feasted on small, and somewhat unfortunate, aquatic life. A beautiful bird indeed. Not being much of an expert regarding subtle differences in birds, I attempted, when I got home, to closer identify this particular example. I saw photographs of Egrets, and Cranes, and a Great Blue Heron (white), but they kind of all look the same to me.
Can anyone accurately identify this particular example, and also tell me what unique features would confirm that identification? The bird was by a pond, about ten miles north of Port Hope, Ontario, Canada. Please excuse the poor picture quality. A cheap camera, and I wasn't very close to the bird. But you'll see enough, I hope.
Thank you for reading my request.....Cheers Dave🍺

 

[Bewick]

It's a great egret.

Edit- Great-blue herons are much less dainty compared to great egrets, their features are heavier. Even a leucistic or albino G.B.H's should be pretty easy to separate from G.E's.

 

[solinadave]

It's a great egret.

Edit- Great-blue herons are much less dainty compared to great egrets, their features are heavier. Even a leucistic or albino G.B.H's should be pretty easy to separate from G.E's.

Thanks a lot Bewick. That's great to know. Where do Cranes fall into the group? Here's three shots, taken online, with names attached to each. You can see where I'm having trouble sorting them out. That is of course assuming the labels attached are correct.
Thanks again.....Dave

 

[khustochka]

The "Crane.jpg" is not a crane, this is a misidentification, looks like a Great Egret too.
Here are the cranes you can meet in North America:

• Sandhill Crane Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• Whooping Crane Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology (very rare, because the size of the population is pretty small)

Cranes belong to a completely different group of birds than herons and egrets. Although they have some similarity as long-legged, long-necked birds, their body shape and plumage is different.

White morph of a Great Blue Heron, if I am not mistaken, is common only in Florida Keys, and, although it can wander, is pretty rare elsewhere. It has a heavier, thicker bill. The details on the first photo are not very good for me to identify.

P.S. If you are worried about misidentifying a white heron/egret in Ontario, you should be more worried about Snowy Egret and juvenile Little Blue Heron, than about white morph Great Blue Heron

 

[solinadave]

The "Crane.jpg" is not a crane, this is a misidentification, looks like a Great Egret too.
Here are the cranes you can meet in North America:

• Sandhill Crane Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• Whooping Crane Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology (very rare, because the size of the population is pretty small)

Cranes belong to a completely different group of birds than herons and egrets. Although they have some similarity as long-legged, long-necked birds, their body shape and plumage is different.

White morph of a Great Blue Heron, if I am not mistaken, is common only in Florida Keys, and, although it can wander, is pretty rare elsewhere. It has a heavier, thicker bill. The details on the first photo are not very good for me to identify.

P.S. If you are worried about misidentifying a white heron/egret in Ontario, you should be more worried about Snowy Egret and juvenile Little Blue Heron, than about white morph Great Blue Heron

Thank you very much my friend in Manitoba. I am not, and really never have been, a birdwatcher at the level you guys are, but I still keep my eyes open and watch these beautiful creatures whenever I can. Sometimes, as in this case, questions pop-up, and it's great to have you to help answer them. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology "All About Birds" is an amazing site. I'm certain to use it often. My initial question has been answered. "A Great Egret".
Thanks again.....Dave

 

[leifvester]

Just curious, is Great Egret short-hand for Great White Egret, or are these different birds?

 

[Bewick]

Just curious, is Great Egret short-hand for Great White Egret, or are these different birds?

Yes, just a shortened version.

 

[Southern Viking]

Generally Great White Egret has been used in Britain and Great Egret in America, but birders in Britain seem to increasingly refer to birds here as Great Egret. Maybe as they've increased here they can't be bothered to use the longer version all the time

 

[Ruff-Leg]

Great Egret is the Clements/AOS/ABA term.

Sorry, solindave, you may not want to go down that taxonomic rabbit-hole!

 

[solinadave]

Great Egret is the Clements/AOS/ABA term.

Sorry, solindave, you may not want to go down that taxonomic rabbit-hole!

"Great White Egret" sounds so elegant. That's how I'll refer to it.

 

[raymie]

"Great White Egret" sounds so elegant. That's how I'll refer to it.

If you use that in North America everyone will be confused, I had no idea the term existed until now.

 

[khustochka]

I learned the "European" names first, and I totally prefer most of them (except for the Loon), and the Great White Egret especially. It is just so logical, the Egret is great, but it is also white, these are its two equally important characteristics. It also follows the same pattern as Great Blue Heron, Little Blue Heron, Great/Middle/Lesser Spotted Woodpecker etc.

 

[leifvester]

I learned the "European" names first, and I totally prefer most of them (except for the Loon), and the Great White Egret especially. It is just so logical, the Egret is great, but it is also white, these are its two equally important characteristics. It also follows the same pattern as Great Blue Heron, Little Blue Heron, Great/Middle/Lesser Spotted Woodpecker etc.

Although inconsistently we have the Little Egret, and not the Little White Egret haha

 

[raymie]

I learned the "European" names first, and I totally prefer most of them (except for the Loon), and the Great White Egret especially. It is just so logical, the Egret is great, but it is also white, these are its two equally important characteristics. It also follows the same pattern as Great Blue Heron, Little Blue Heron, Great/Middle/Lesser Spotted Woodpecker etc.

All egrets are white, so that word is unnecessary.

 

[D Halas]

All egrets are white

…but some are whiter than others?


Reddish Egret

Slaty Egret

Dimorphic Egret

 

[raymie]

…but some are whiter than others?


Reddish Egret

Slaty Egret

Dimorphic Egret

All of those have a very prominent white morph (or at least two do? I had never heard of the Slaty Egret until now, so not sure about that one, but why else would it be called an egret?).

 

[leifvester]

Wow! I only just learned that the Great Egret is actually the Great White Heron!

Great egret - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Ardea alba

 

[aeshna5]

Wow! I only just learned that the Great Egret is actually the Great White Heron!

Great egret - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Ardea alba

Slightly confusing as Great White Heron is also used for the white morph of Great Blue Heron, which of course is a totally different species.

 

[lockbreeze926]

I think by far the commonest usage of "GWH" is in relation to the Florida morph of Great Egret.

I'd agree adding the word "white" to the species name serves no purpose.

More here - How to Identify White Herons

 

[THE_FERN]

I'd agree adding the word "white" to the species name serves no purpose.

More here - How to Identify White Herons

But it has a yellow/black bill... Obvious scope for confusion ;-]