One more thing: I am well aware that pigmentation in birds is way more
complicated than in mammals (e.g. humans have only two pigments eumelanin and
pheomelanin). However, even in birds the black pigment is melanin (eumelanin).
Therefore - if the dark morph theory was right - this bird must have undergone
two independent mutations localized to different body regions: melanism of a
part of its trunk and wings and leukism of its legs - very unlikely.
Moreover, since the bird also morphologically doesn't look like a Little Egret
at all (morphologically it resembles more a schistacea or even remotely an
Eastern Reef Heron - see my e-mail below) this bird is not a Little Egret. My
guess is still: most likely a hybrid (possibly Little x Eastern Reef?).
Cheers,
Nikolas
----------------
Nikolas Haass
Sydney, NSW
________________________________
From: Nikolas Haass <>
To: Mike Carter <>; BIRDING-AUS
<>
Cc: Tim Dolby <>; Bill Ramsay <>
Sent: Friday, August 19, 2011 10:15 PM
Subject: Little Egret dark morph on Gold Coast, Qld
Hi all,
Had a look at this bird at eremaea. This bird is clearly not a dark morph
Little Egret. Neither overall jizz, overall plumage coloration, bill shape,
bill color, leg length nor leg color fit that ID. Either it is a very funny
(escaped) schistacea (NOT gularis!) Western Reef Egret or a hybrid.
Cheers,
Nikolas
----------------
Nikolas Haass
Sydney, NSW
________________________________
From: Mike Carter <>
To: BIRDING-AUS <>
Cc: Tim Dolby <>; Bill Ramsay <>
Sent: Thursday, August 18, 2011 10:52 PM
Subject: Little Egret dark morph on Gold Coast, Qld
Tony Bailey sought the identification of a strange Egret he saw and
photographed at Coombabah Swamp on the Gold Coast on 11 August. The bird
resembled a cross between a White-faced Heron and a Little Egret as it had
mainly white underparts but with grey on the head, neck and upperparts. I
suggested to him that it was a dark morph Little Egret. He returned to the site
today and by comparison with a typical Little Egret confirmed that identity and
obtained more photos. I have placed one photo on the Eremaea Birds Australia's
Birdline for Central & Southern Queensland.
Although this variable dark colour morph is known from Asia, (it is illustrated
in the 2005 edition of Viney, Phillipps & Ying, Birds of Hong Kong & Southern
China), I am not aware of any previous reports from Australia. It seems
probable that this particular mutant originated in Australia rather than Asia.
It is also atypical in that its legs are yellow rather than black. It may be
more than coincidence that a somewhat similar looking strange Little
Egret/White-faced Heron was recently photographed at Parry's Lagoon near
Wyndham in WA. The ID of that bird is being debated.
Mike Carter
30 Canadian Bay Road
Mount Eliza VIC 3930
Tel (03) 9787 7136
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