Little or Chinese Egret, Phuket, Thailand, Nov 3 (1 Viewer)

[bhutjoe]

Hi, I noted these as little egrets, but in reading Robson it would seem that only Chinese Egrets have blue facial skin. Hopefully I am reading that correctly. I noted that in eBird and Opus they mention the line from the eye to the bill. I am not sure whether the lines of the egrets in these photos match little or chinese I would note the tarsi on the bird on the right in the photo with two egrets does seem to have quite long tarsi.
I would hate to pass up a Chinese egret if one of these photos actually showed one.
I am asking for confirmation that they are little egrets or correction that one or more are chinese egrets.
I am also asking if the colour of the facial skin is a useful note for identification.
thank you in advance for taking the time on this question
steve

 

[kuzeycem]

No experience with Chinese Egret but I'd expect it'd show thicker bill and legs (latter also more greenish in tone). Also I don't see the 'dent' in the loral mark normally found in Chinese.

 

[bhutjoe]

Thanks kuzeycem, I wasn't sure what to look for in the dent in the loral mark. It has been a number of years, according to eBird, that a Chinese egret has been noted in Phuket.
much appreciated
steve

 

[MacNara]

I've also never seen Chinese Egret, but I would think those long slim legs rule it out from the beginning.

As regards the facial colouring, I think you have mis-read Robson (by which I assume you mean 'Birds of South-east Asia'). He says that breeding Chinese has blue facial skin and breeding Little has red facial skin. I don't think he says anything about non-breeding facial skin colour.

Your photos show only pale blue-ish yellow-ish colouration which seems fine and quite normal for Little.

I attach a few photos of Little with blueish colouration and also full breeding plumage red colouration. For what it's worth, my experience of observing egrets and herons is that the full strong breeding colouration of the bill, legs and feet only lasts for a short time, maybe a week or less, so you have to be lucky to catch it.

The photos are all different birds, and the naming convention is YYMMDD+number, so if you want to know when they were taken you can work it out.

1 & 2: regular colouration

3, 4 & 5: breeding

6: a yellowish, somewhat unusual bird

 

[bhutjoe]

Thank you very much for all of that information and pointing out my error in reading of Robson. Great photos by the way, I have copied them to my reference file (for my use only) if that is okay.
Very much appreciate the time and effort you took in responding.
steve

 

[MacNara]

Great photos by the way, I have copied them to my reference file (for my use only) if that is okay.

steve

No problem. I'm glad if they are of use to someone else.

 

[James Eaton]

The upper edge of the lores is an easy way to identify Chinese from Little in all plumages - straight from eye to bill in Little but angles down from the eye in Chinese, giving it a more aggressive look.

James

 

[andyb39]

The feature James mentions can be seen in images on this webpage: Chinese Egrets in Malaysia – Where, when and how to find them.

 

[MacNara]

Slightly off topic, but when we were in Borneo a few years ago in early May on the Kinabatangan River, I noticed that it was very frequent that when we spotted a Great White Egret, it had a companion Little Egret nearby. Just the two birds, one of each. I wondered if this was some kind of mutual help thing; or just a coincidence.

 

[bhutjoe]

Thank you James for the ID tip and Andy for the link. It makes clear now what I had read but did not know quite how to apply. Both of your comments very much appreciated.
Thank you MacNara for the companion comment. I have seen Great and Little together frequently in Hat Yai, southern Thailand as well, sometimes standing or perched only a few feet apart.
Thank you again everyone for clarifying my misconceptions and clearly pointing out how to differentiate the two species.
steve