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Message: <blockquote data-quote="bugmat" data-source="post: 3601516" data-attributes="member: 137018">My error in using juvenile - bad habit. it is an immature/sub-adult bird I can agree with that yes, but it is probably close to adulthood.I discounted cocoi for several reasons but the most pertinent is that from all accounts (from a local member of the rare bird committee here and other veterans) is that even juvenile/immature cocoi herons are larger than this bird was. There is also the fact that the cap is limited - cocoi even in those immature birds posted have a fuller cap closer to the area above and below (ie surrounding) the eye. Also note the caps in those two birds are gray/duller in parts (as described in the link below). In my bird there is a faint area above the eye and the cap is full and not patchy bar the white-streaking. THe lore sin those two birds are also distinctly more yellow in patches than this bird which is blander there (not sure if that is jsut my perception or colour balance in any of the photos but in real life it wasn't bright yellow like those two photos of immature cocoi). Also note one of my photos shows short plumes - immature cocoi are supposed to lack these: <a href="http://www.heronconservation.org/styled-5/styled-19/" target="_blank">http://www.heronconservation.org/styled-5/styled-19/</a> ^  The above link also notes southern Cocoi are larger than northern birds.And last the classic "headlight" on GH is supposed to be much more prominent than in any cocoi - I think that can be seen in my bird, which has a more prominent white aptch at the carpal bend than those two immature/juvenile cocoi posted.Cocoi are the largest herons in South America and the Great Blue is not far off in size, with the Great Egret & Gray Herons significantly smaller by at least a foot.  Also I have seen a fair few cocoi heron up close.This is in no way a GBH just for the earlier poster. GBH have rufous at all stages - this is an immature one I shot of a GBH (attached)Funnily enough a veteran birder and I saw another sub-adult Gray heron today - looked just like this bird but was dry instead of soaked (also attached). I suspect it is the same bird as has been noted they are rare, but not accidental here.Thanks again.</blockquote>

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