Bill
The statue must be a heron/egret because of the kink in the neck, but
it is no other species that I've ever come across.
It's probably North American. The red thigh coverts look like the
Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias, and lo and behold there is an
intermediate morph between the blue and white versions called
'Würdemann's Heron' - in the USA at least mostly confined to Florida
(Sibley 2000). I presume it occurs further south. Anyhow, it's not a
perfect match, but it has almost all of the features depicted somewhat
vaguely on the statue.
L.
Ref: Sibley, D. (2000). The North American bird guide. Pica
Press, Sussex.
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Lawrie Conole
Senior Ecologist
Ornithology & Terrestrial Ecology
Ecology Australia Pty. Ltd.
Flora and Fauna Consultants
88B Station Street
FAIRFIELD VIC 3078 Australia
E-mail: m("ecologyaustralia.com.au","lconole");">
Internet: http://www.ecologyaustralia.com.au/
Ph: (03) 9489 4191; Mob: (0419) 588 993
Fax: (03) 9481 7679
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