Huxiang Natural Calendar丨 is not a great egret, nor is it a small white heron, I am a medium egret

Huxiang Natural Calendar丨 is not a great egret, nor is it a small white heron, I am a medium egret

Friday, September 3, 2021 The 12th day of the summer

On the playground of the Zhongnan Linke University East Park, a large white bird flew in.

At noon, the playground is almost empty, and the snow-white birds are particularly noticeable in the lawn. It strolls idly, occasionally looking down to forage for food. Seeing us approaching with the camera, it was still leisurely. The birds that come to the campus are like this, and they are not afraid of people at all.

It was only when I got closer that I could tell that it was only a egret.

There are three more common types of egrets: great egrets, medium egrets, and egrets.

If you see them in the wild, how do you distinguish them?

First of all, in terms of body shape. The size of the middle egret is between the great egret and the egret, and the great egret is of course the largest, which is obviously different from the middle egret and the egret.

Secondly, it is also very different from the biological characteristics. Unlike the great egret, the middle egret has a cracked mouth. The difference with the egret is that the middle egret has a yellow mouth, black or brown ends, and black feet, while the small egret has a completely black mouth and black feet, but its claws are yellow. When the egret breeds feathers , it has floppy filamentous plumage on its back and thorax , a short-term pink bill and legs , and a gray face with bare skin. During the breeding season, the egret's mouth may also be completely black.

The egret often inhabits and operates in rivers, lakes, estuaries, shallow waters and river beaches along the shores of seashores and ponds, as well as in swamps and rice paddies. They often gently wad down shallow water to feed, and often stand still at the edge of the water waiting for their prey to arrive, and prey on them in fast and accurate movements. When he is full, he curls his neck on the shore or on the field and rests on one foot.

After staying in the playground for a while, the egret spread its wings and flew away gracefully. Maybe he was tired during the flight, and it happened that he liked the academic atmosphere on campus, so he stopped for a nap.

【Small business card】

Middle egret, bird of the pelican family Heron family, wading bird. It is about 69 cm long, has a relatively short mouth, and has an "S" shaped neck. It is white all over the body ; the summer feather has a long row of feathers on the back , which extends backwards over the tail end , and a less obvious crown feather behind the head , and a cluster of long feathers scattered on the chest. Winter feathers are agnostic with feathers and crown feathers, yellow beak, black tip of mouth, and black feet and toes. It feeds mainly on aquatic and terrestrial insects such as fish, shrimp, frogs, locusts, caddisflies and other small invertebrates.

It is commonly found in the Yangtze River Basin, southeastern and Hainan Islands, and is a summer migratory bird in Hunan. The breeding period is from April to June; the breeding period is mostly gregarious, with shallow nests built on trees, bushes or on the ground with branches. Each clutch lays 2-4 eggs, mostly 4. The male and female incubate the eggs together.

Text/Zhou Lin Gan Huiting Peng Kexin Photo/Zhou Lin Design/Ye Yanna Think Tank/Zhang Zhiqiang Gan Huiting Coordinator/Zhou Yuegui Special Support/Hunan Forestry Bureau

[Editor-in-charge: Cao Xian]

[Source: Hunan Daily· New Hunan Client]