The bird looks very interesting. Mind you, I have never seen one, are they common? It looks as if it's put together from three different birds, a White-faced/Pacific/Pied Heron, in breeding plumage.The legs have a different colour too.
I reckon this looks good for a Pied Heron X Cattle Egret.
The rufous would represent the bright rufous breeding colours on the neck of the Cattle Egret. This is further supported by the blue tinge to the base of the bill around the eye which is a trace of the deep purple area here on the Cattle.
Also, the shape of the bird is different to your normal Pied Heron and the bill shape is very similar to a Cattle. Furthermore, the Pied Heron is in the same genus as some of the Egrets and does resemble the Egret family to some extent.
A most interesting theory, Owen. The neck certainly resembles that of the cattle egret. I did a little research but could find no reports of interbreeding between the two species. Perhaps bird watchers of the north could be alert to this possibility.
If you look at my comment, I was thinking along the same lines Owen does. I thought the plumage looks a lot like the breeding plumage of a Pacilic Heron, but the markings around the eye look more like those of an Egret. Very intersting.
You can see in the videos that it also behaves differently to a Pied, sometimes shifting feet uncomfortably which show a bit of the wary nature of Cattle Egrets.
I am away from home this week but will look for the author's contact details when I get back. Maybe somone who has done extensive research on herons & egrets can make some suggestions on family background.
The bird looks very interesting. Mind you, I have never seen one, are they common? It looks as if it's put together from three different birds, a White-faced/Pacific/Pied Heron, in breeding plumage.The legs have a different colour too.
M-L
Its very rare not in the books.
Alan
that is interesting, even the legs are a different colour
do you thibk it is an adult or a juvenile?
Peter
Its bigger than the normal ones.
This is very intersting Alan.
I reckon this looks good for a Pied Heron X Cattle Egret.
The rufous would represent the bright rufous breeding colours on the neck of the Cattle Egret. This is further supported by the blue tinge to the base of the bill around the eye which is a trace of the deep purple area here on the Cattle.
Also, the shape of the bird is different to your normal Pied Heron and the bill shape is very similar to a Cattle. Furthermore, the Pied Heron is in the same genus as some of the Egrets and does resemble the Egret family to some extent.
In short I'm pretty confident of my theory!
Cheers, Owen.
A most interesting theory, Owen. The neck certainly resembles that of the cattle egret. I did a little research but could find no reports of interbreeding between the two species. Perhaps bird watchers of the north could be alert to this possibility.
If you look at my comment, I was thinking along the same lines Owen does. I thought the plumage looks a lot like the breeding plumage of a Pacilic Heron, but the markings around the eye look more like those of an Egret. Very intersting.
M-L
Yesterdays video if it http://youtu.be/LK61xtAvT5k
You can see in the videos that it also behaves differently to a Pied, sometimes shifting feet uncomfortably which show a bit of the wary nature of Cattle Egrets.
Cheers, Owen.
Alan
I have a CSIRO book that I got from Andrew Isles - Herons, egrets and bitterns by Neil McKilligan
http://www.andrewisles.com/all-stock/publication/herons-egrets-and-bitterns-their-biology-and-conservation-in-australia
I am away from home this week but will look for the author's contact details when I get back. Maybe somone who has done extensive research on herons & egrets can make some suggestions on family background.
Peter
Don't know if this is of any help ... http://pubstorage.sdstate.edu/wfs/282-W.pdf
Wendy
Mandurah, WA
Peel-Yalgorup System Ramsar Site
http://www.flickr.com/photos/girlinoz/