Great Egret, Borneo? (1 Viewer)

[dixonlau]

I tried to find my older post but can't find it. It seems I didn't ask confirmation ID of this egret before.

Taken last Dec 2020, near lake, inland forest, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo.

My ID was Great Egret but someone telling me recently it should be Intermediate. So I hoping could get some expert confirmation ID. Many thanks.

All 4 photos are one same egret.

In relative reference to Little Egret at the bottom right corner.

 

[dave598]

It is a Beautiful bird. Thank you for sharing

 

[Butty]

4. Bottom right is cattle egret (not little egret).

 

[Butty]

Gape of flying bird extends exactly to rear of eye - but bill size/shape looks like intermediate egret.
Your previous thread >>
Thread 'Great or Intermediate Egret? Borneo' Great or Intermediate Egret? Borneo

 

[dixonlau]

4. Bottom right is cattle egret (not little egret).

Gape of flying bird extends exactly to rear of eye - but bill size/shape looks like intermediate egret.
Your previous thread >>
Thread 'Great or Intermediate Egret? Borneo' Great or Intermediate Egret? Borneo

Thanks Butty. The previous Thread you mentioned were taken in different location.



I attach here another shot of the same bird with better side view of its bill.



In comparison to this shot taken in separate location, this has been confirmed as Great Egret. Its bill looks longer and sharper at the end. Does this indicate and differentiate from Intermediate?

 

[Butty]

Bill of your 'great egret' doesn't look much different, does it? A touch longer maybe. But the gape going way behind the eye identifies it.
Tricky things sometimes, herons.

 

[Dawsy]

I think a good feature is that in great egret the bill looks like it's just an extension of the head (top is almost parallel with forehead) whereas in intermediate the bill looks stuck on the front. The original pics look that way so are intemediate. There's a real contrast in that between the two pics in the last post.

 

[Butty]

in great egret the bill looks like it's just an extension of the head (top is almost parallel with forehead) whereas in intermediate the bill looks stuck on the front

I like this. It's the same sort of difference you get with other big-billed things in a species-pair: cormorant v. shag, Cooper's hawk v. sharp-shinned hawk, etc.; one shows a bill/forehead-angle and one doesn't.
I'll have to try it out and see if it works

 

[dixonlau]

Bill of your 'great egret' doesn't look much different, does it? A touch longer maybe. But the gape going way behind the eye identifies it.
Tricky things sometimes, herons.

Thank you Butty. Both bill do look same just as you said, "a touch longer".

I think a good feature is that in great egret the bill looks like it's just an extension of the head (top is almost parallel with forehead) whereas in intermediate the bill looks stuck on the front. The original pics look that way so are intemediate. There's a real contrast in that between the two pics in the last post.

Great explaination Dawsy. Thanks for the help.

 

[dixonlau]

@Butty I can see it now. I put both Great & Intermediate together as below. The gap behind the eyes is different.