- Egretta gularis
Description
Aka Western Reef Heron. Two morphs, a white and a dark slaty. Dark morph predominates in the nominate race. In race schistacea dark morph is more blue-grey and less numerous than white morph.
Identification
Distribution
Breeds on the Banc D'Arguin and the coast of Mauritania south to Gabon and the Gulf of Guinea islands. In the east breeds on the coasts of the Red Sea and south to Mozambique, Madagascar and Aldabra. Also breeds on Socotra and coastally from the Arabian Peninsula to southern India and Sri Lanka including the Lakshadweep and Maldive Islands. Formerly bred in Kuwait, now regular passage and winter visitor. Mainly resident but with some post-breeding dispersal along coasts adjoining breeding areas.
Recorded as a vagrant about 40 times in France, mainly the far south and the Camargue in particular, about 50 times in Italy and there are around 20 records for Spain, mainly in the Ebro Delta. Also recorded in Portugal, the Azores and increasingly in the Cape Verde Islands, Morocco and Tunisia, and Bulgaria. Some records refer to long-staying, practically resident, individuals. Also occasionally recorded elsewhere in Europe, e.g- Germany, but these are usually regarded as escapes.
Habitat
Rocky and sandy shores, reefs, mudflats and estuaries, mangroves and lagoons.
Behavior
Taxonomy
West African birds belong to nominate race (gularis) and those from the Red Sea to India to race schistacea. Sometimes considered a subspecies of the Little Egret, or, more commonly, include the Dimorphic Egret as a subspecies.
