|
This article is incomplete. This article is missing one or more sections. You can help the BirdForum Opus by expanding it. |
|
Alternative Name(s): Yellow-billed Egret
- Egretta intermedia
Mesophoyx intermedia; Ardea intermedia
Identification
In distinguishing this species from Great Egret, notice particularly how Intermediate's gape stops at the rear of the eye, while Great's extends farther back, and how the feathered chin of Intermediate extends farther forward along the gonys. The shorter bill also gives Intermediate's head a more triangular look than the attenuated snake-like head of Great Egret.
Legs evidently occur in a range of shades from black to dark yellow.
Distribution
A widespread Old World species.
Found throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Sudan and south to South Africa but absent from the most arid and densely forested areas.
Also occurs over much of the Indian subcontinent, east to southern China, southern Korea and southern Japan and south to the Philippines. western Borneo, Sumatra and Java. Further east occurs in southern New Guinea and in Australia mainly in the north and east.
Northern Asian birds are migratory, those from Africa merely dispersive.
Recorded as a scarce spring and summer visitor to the Banc D'Arguin in Mauritania, and a vagrant to the Cape Verde Islands, Egypt and at the Dead Sea in Jordan.
In May 2001 the first Intermediate Egret for Europe was recorded in a small wetland close to Rome, Italy, and remained there until August. In Asia vagrants have been recorded north to Sakhalin.
Australian birds may undergo migratory movements and may occur only in New Guinea in winter.
On May 31st, 2006 a dead Intermediate Egret was found on Buldir Island in Alaska's Aleutian Island chain. It constituted the first record for North America.
Taxonomy
There are three recognized subspecies:
- intermedia (Asia)
- brachyrhyncha (Africa)
- plumifera (Australasia).
Which genus this bird belongs to is not at all clear, it is equally often placed in Egretta as in Mesophoyx and has even been placed in Ardea in the past.
Habitat
Freshwaters, including slow-flowing rivers, lakes and swamps, also coastal mudflats and mangroves, sometimes grassland.
