Great white egret (1 Viewer)

[samsam]

in some books i hind the scientific name: Ardea Occidentalis
in some: ardea Alba
is it the same bird?
(New world old world?)
thanks for an explaination

 

[nbalblas]

By memory, this is what I thought it was.
*Ardea Occidentalis is the US Great Egret, or Great White Heron and the Alba the Eurasian Great Egret.
Correct me if I'm wrong though!

 

[Nutcracker]

No, different birds; "Ardea occidentalis" is now treated as a subspecies of Ardea herodias. Although white like A. alba, it has the stouter structure (thick, heavy bill, etc.) of A. herodias.

 

[Microtus]

What Nutcracker says.
Ardea occidentalis Great White Heron (of North America) was merged with Ardea herodias Great Blue Heron in 1973, if I recall correctly (or else in 1982).

 

[stevethehydra]

It would probably be less confusing if they gave A. (h.) occidentalis a name that reflected its limited distribution, such as Florida White Heron.

A. alba is split by some into "eastern" and "western" (sub)species, but I think it's Americas + Europe (and maybe Africa?) vs East Asia/Australia rather than "Old World" vs "New World".

 

[Nutcracker]

It would probably be less confusing if they gave A. (h.) occidentalis a name that reflected its limited distribution, such as Florida White Heron.

'Caribbean White Heron' might make more sense - IOC lists it as West Indies as well as southernmost Florida (where really only common in the Keys).

 

[njlarsen]

Distribution seems centered on Florida (Keys) and Cuba, but range is from Maine to Belize it seems: http://ebird.org/ebird/map/grwher?n...&gp=false&ev=Z&mr=1-12&bmo=1&emo=12&yr=last10

Niels