Copyright: monacoeye • Pantanal, Brazil, Aug 2011 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Little Blue Heron
Latin: Egretta caerulea
Other: Garceta azul (Es), garza azul • Garça-azul (Br)
Family: Ardeidae • Herons
Range: Texas to Uruguay
Similar: Snowy Egret

The adult Little Blue Heron is an unmistakeable intense blue colour, with a touch of purple around the neck. Seen above at Rio Clarinho Lodge in the Pantanal - the only place I saw this bird. Much rarer than other similar sized herons and egrets.

Pictured below is a juvenile Little Blue Heron. Before gaining his blue-grey adult plumage, he could be mistaken for a Snowy Egret, as he is mostly white. This one was seen by the Chagres River in central Panama.

Below, juvenile Little Blue Heron, Gamboa, Panama, April 2010.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Perth, May 2008

Bird name: Pacific Reef Heron
Latin: Egretta sacra
Other: Eastern Reef Egret
Family: Ardeidae • Herons
Range: Southeast Asia to Australia and New Zealand

Possibly a Pacific Reef Heron? Yellow legs …

Copyright: monacoeye • Camargue, France, January 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Western Cattle Egret
Latin: Bubulcus ibis
Other: Héron Garde-Boeuf (Fr) • Garcilla bueyera (Es) • Garça-vaqueira (Pt) • Airone guardabuoi (It)
Family: Ardeidae • Egrets
Range: North America, South America, Africa, Southern Europe to Central Asia

The IOC has split the Cattle Egret into Western and Eastern forms, the latter being found in Australasia. These were seen in the Camargue in southern France, so are Western Cattle Egrets.

The Western Cattle Egret has a short yellowy orange bill, hairy under bill, yellow iris, dark feet (generally), orange patches in breeding plumage. Smallest of the white egrets.

Below: Camargue, July 2009
More photos...

Copyright: TH/monacoeye • Australia, May 2008 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Eastern Cattle Egret
Latin: Bubulcus coromandus
Other:
Family: Ardeidae • Egrets
Range: South and East Asia, Australasia

The IOC has split the Cattle Egret into Western and Eastern forms. These were seen in Perth, Australia, so should be Eastern Cattle Egrets.More photos...

An initial comparison of 4 similar species of white egret:

Snowy Egret: Bright yellow lores - dark bill
Little Egret: Greyish yellow lores - dark bill
Great Egret (egretta & alba): Green grey lores - yellow bill
Cattle Egret: Yellow lores - short yellow bill - hairy under bill

Snowy v Little: Yellow lores (and feet) on Snowy
Cattle v Little or Snowy: Short yellow bill on Cattle
Little v Great: Yellow bill on Great (can change)

Later I will include a comparison of size, legs, plumage and feet, different ages and breeding seasons, and locationMore photos...

Bird name: Little Egret
Latin: Egretta garzetta
Other: Aigrette Garzette (Fr)
Family: Ardeidae
Tag: Herons, Storks & Ibises

Photos: monacoeye • Camargue, France • December 2008More photos...

Bird name: Great Egret
Latin: Ardea alba
Other: Grande Aigrette (Fr) • Kotuku (NZ)
Family: Ardeidae
Tag: Herons, Storks & Ibises

Photo: monacoeye • Camargue, France • December 2008More photos...

026 Ardeidae • Herons, Bitterns - IOC 2.5 - 2010

Ardeidae (herons) and Threskiornithidae (ibises, spoonbills) are all in Pelecaniformes

Zonerodius heliosylus - Forest Bittern - New Guinea

Tigriornis leucolopha - White-crested Tiger Heron - W, C Africa

Tigrisoma lineatum - Rufescent Tiger Heron - Widespread Latin America
Tigrisoma fasciatum - Fasciated Tiger Heron - Costa Rica to N Bolivia, SE South America
Tigrisoma mexicanum - Bare-throated Tiger Heron - Mexico to Colombia

Agamia agami - Agami Heron - E Mexico to Amazonia

Cochlearius cochlearius - Boat-billed Heron - WC Mexico to NE Argentina

Zebrilus undulatus - Zigzag Heron - N, C South America

Botaurus stellaris - Eurasian Bittern - Widespread Eurasia - Africa, N Asia
Botaurus poiciloptilus - Australasian Bittern - SW, SE Australia, New Zealand
Botaurus lentiginosus - American Bittern - Widespread North America - Central America, Caribbean
Botaurus pinnatus - Pinnated Bittern - E Mexico to NE Argentina

Ixobrychus involucris - Stripe-backed Bittern - N, SE, SW South America
Ixobrychus exilis - Least Bittern - E, SW USA to SE Brazil
Ixobrychus minutus - Little Bittern - S, C Europe to C Asia, NW India, Africa. Eurasia, Africa
Ixobrychus dubius - Black-backed Bittern - E, SW Australia - Split from I. minutus
Ixobrychus sinensis - Yellow Bittern - Widespread Asia, also E Asia - Australasia
Ixobrychus eurhythmus - Von Schrenck's Bittern - E Eurasia - E Asia
Ixobrychus cinnamomeus - Cinnamon Bittern - Widespread Asia, also E Asia
Ixobrychus sturmii - Dwarf Bittern - Widespread Africa

Dupetor flavicollis - Black Bittern - Widespread Asia, Australasia

Gorsachius magnificus - White-eared Night Heron - S, E China
Gorsachius goisagi - Japanese Night Heron - Japan - SE China, Philippines
Gorsachius melanolophus - Malayan Night Heron - Widespread Asia
Gorsachius leuconotus - White-backed Night Heron - Widespread Africa

Nycticorax nycticorax - Black-crowned Night Heron - Worldwide except Australasia
Nycticorax caledonicus - Nankeen Night Heron - Widespread Australasia - New name

Nyctanassa violacea - Yellow-crowned Night Heron - E USA to Peru & E Brazil

Butorides virescens - Green Heron - E & C USA to Panama
Butorides sundevalli - Lava Heron - Galápagos Islands - Split from B. striata
Butorides striata - Striated Heron - Widespread South America, Eurasia, Africa, Australasia

Ardeola ralloides - Squacco Heron - Widespread Eurasia, Africa
Ardeola grayii - Indian Pond Heron - Persian Gulf to Burma, Maldive Islands
Ardeola bacchus - Chinese Pond Heron - E Asia
Ardeola speciosa - Javan Pond Heron - E Asia
Ardeola idae - Malagasy Pond Heron - Madagascar, Aldabra Island - C, E Africa
Ardeola rufiventris - Rufous-bellied Heron - E, C Africa

Bubulcus ibis - Western Cattle Egret - S Europe to Iran, Africa, Indian Ocean Is., North and Latin America. Eurasia, Africa, North America, Latin America - New name
Bubulcus coromandus - Eastern Cattle Egret - S, E Asia, Australasia - Split from B. ibis

Ardea cinerea - Grey Heron - Widespread Eurasia, Africa, Asia
Ardea herodias - Great Blue Heron - Widespread North America, Middle America
Ardea cocoi - Cocoi Heron - Widespread South America
Ardea pacifica - White-necked Heron - Australia, S New Guinea
Ardea melanocephala - Black-headed Heron - Widespread Africa
Ardea humbloti - Humblot's Heron - Madagascar
Ardea insignis - White-bellied Heron - E Himalayas
Ardea sumatrana - Great-billed Heron - Southeast Asia to N Australia
Ardea goliath - Goliath Heron - Widespread Africa
Ardea purpurea - Purple Heron - Widespread Eurasia, Asia, Africa
Ardea alba - Western Great Egret - North America, South America, Africa, Europe to C Asia - New name
Ardea modesta - Eastern Great Egret - S, E Asia to Indonesia and Australasia. Eurasia, Asia - Split from A. alba

Pilherodius pileatus - Capped Heron - E Panama to SE Brazil

Syrigma sibilatrix - Whistling Heron - N, SC, SE South America

Egretta intermedia - Intermediate Egret - Widespread Asia, Africa, Australasia - New name
Egretta picata - Pied Heron - Sulawesi to N Australia
Egretta novaehollandiae - White-faced Heron - Widespread Australasia
Egretta rufescens - Reddish Egret - S USA, Caribbean
Egretta ardesiaca - Black Heron - Widespread Africa
Egretta vinaceigula - Slaty Egret - SC Africa
Egretta tricolor - Tricolored Heron - SE USA to N South America
Egretta caerulea - Little Blue Heron - SE USA to S Brazil
Egretta thula - Snowy Egret - Widespread North America, Latin America
Egretta garzetta - Little Egret - Widespread Eurasia, Africa, Asia, Australasia
Egretta gularis - Western Reef Heron - W Africa, NE Africa to W India, Sri Lanka
Egretta dimorpha - Dimorphic Egret - E, Madagascar
Egretta sacra - Pacific Reef Heron - Southeast Asia to New Zealand
Egretta eulophotes - Chinese Egret - E Eurasia - SE Asia