Distinguishing Characteristics

Medium-sized heron, length 70–80 cm; mass 700–850 g; 2 color morphs (white and dark). Rarely seen away from coast. Sexes alike in plumage, male slightly larger than female. Dark-morph adult neutral gray, with head and neck chestnut to cinnamon; crown, nape, neck, and upper breast with shaggy lanceolate plumes; scapular plumes long and filamentous during breeding (see Fig. 2). Bill bicolored, pink at base with third to half of tip black; bill may be dull on nonbreeding birds. Back and sides of legs blue, front black, legs fading to blackish following nesting. Iris white to straw yellow. Dark-morph immatures nondescript medium gray or grayish tan without plumes; bill entirely blackish, although some older immatures may show bicolored bill. Some dark individuals “pied,” possessing a few white feathers, often in symmetrical pattern. White morph has entirely white plumage, but similar to dark morph in other aspects (Fig. 2). White morph generally small minority in most areas, although apparently in the majority in the Bahamas, for example (see Appearance: molts and plumages, below).

Dark morph may be confused with Tricolored (Egretta tricolor) or Little Blue (E. caerulea) herons, and white morph with Snowy Egret (E. thula) or immature Little Blue Heron. Reddish Egret relatively larger and taller than these species, also more prone to animated and erratic foraging (dashing, running, jumping, spreading wings), although above species may engage in such behavior on occasion. Immature Reddish Egret particularly nondescript, dark morph overall rather grayish (often brownish or rufous tinges on head, neck, and wings) with all-dark (slaty) bill and legs and whitish eyes (irides), which are distinctly paler than above species, which have more yellowish or dark (to reddish) irides. During breeding season, adult Reddish Egret distinguished by bicolor pink bill with black tip, pink or flesh-colored lores, slaty blue–gray legs, and shaggy plumes on rusty red head and neck that contrast with gray plumage of body. Tricolored Heron has white belly, long and slender neck and bill, and greenish to reddish legs. Little Blue Heron has bicolored bill, but base bluish; legs and feet greenish. White-morph Reddish Egret also has distinctive bicolored bill and is separated from smaller Snowy Egret by that species’ yellowish lores and feet (legs black in adults). Immature Little Blue Heron has greenish legs and pale grayish or pinkish lores.