intermediate egret
Egretta intermedia
Silhouette: L. Shyamal · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPelecaniformes (Pelicans, Herons, Ibises, and Allies)
- FamilyArdeidae (Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns)
- GenusEgretta (Small Egrets and Herons)
- SpeciesEgretta intermedia (intermediate egret)
About the intermediate egret
The medium egret (Ardea intermedia), median egret, smaller egret or intermediate egret, is a medium-sized heron. Some taxonomists put the species in the genus Egretta or Mesophoyx. It is a resident breeder in southern and eastern Asia.
Some authorities classify the intermediate egret species complex in its own monotypic genus, Mesophoyx, while others place it with the smaller egrets in Egretta. There were three recognised subspecies, and these are sometimes raised into species:
A. i. brachyrhyncha Brehm, 1854 "yellow-billed egret" - sub-Saharan Africa A.i. intermedia Wagler, 1827 "intermediate egret" - Asia from the Russian Far East to Japan to India and the Greater Sundas A. i. plumifera Gould, 1848 "plumed egret" - eastern Indonesia, New Guinea and Australia.
A.(i.) intermedia differs from A.(i.) brachyrhyncha and A. (i.) plumifera by having a black bill when in breeding plumage, while A.(i.) plumifera has a yellow-and-pink bill and A. (i.) brachyrhyncha has much yellower lores and face. A further difference between this species and the "yellow-billed" species is that the intermediate egret has black at the top of the legs compared to reddish in the yellow-billed... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of intermediate egret in Great Otway National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Great Otway National Park
White-faced Heron
Egretta novaehollandiae
Little Egret
Egretta garzetta
Great Egret
Ardea alba
White-necked Heron
Ardea pacifica
Ardea modesta
Ardea modesta
Nankeen Night-Heron
Nycticorax caledonicus
Australasian Bittern
Botaurus poiciloptilus
Australian Pelican
Pelecanus conspicillatus
Australian White Ibis
Threskiornis molucca
Royal Spoonbill
Platalea regia
Straw-necked Ibis
Threskiornis spinicollis
Yellow-billed Spoonbill
Platalea flavipes
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a intermediate egret in Great Otway National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a intermediate egret sighting in Great Otway National Park, based on 19 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see intermediate egret in Great Otway National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for intermediate egret in Great Otway National Park in our monthly data.