Long-Legged WADERS of The World
The long-legged waders are comprised of the egrets, herons, ibises, spoonbills, storks, and flamingos. They are a diverse group, united by their long legs that enable them to wade for food. The egrets and herons are - the Ardeidae family, while the ibises and spoonsbill belong to Threskiornithidae. These two families belong to the same order and it is considered by some to be the same order as the storks (Ciconiiformes), but DNA information is prompting them to be moved to a different order. The flamingos belong to their own order, Phoenicopteriformes.
Egrets
Order Ciconiiformes disputed
Family Ardeidae
The
herons and
egrets make up the Ardeidae family. Species belonging to genus Ardea are usually considered to be herons and those belonging to genus Egretta are called egrets. However, there is no clear distinction between herons and egrets. Those species that are white or have fancy plumage are usually called egrets.
Bitterns also belong to the Ardeidae family.A common feature of the Ardeidae species is that they fly with their necks retracted, unlike the ibis that fly with their necks outstretched
WHO AM I ?
Genus Bubulcus - 1 species
Egret, Cattle Bubulcus ibis Found -
The Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia.
Photographed by: 1, 2) Dick Daniels - Australia 3, 7) DIck - North Carolina 4) Dick - Puerto Rico
5, 6) Dick - Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel Island,
Florida,
1, 2, 3) Breding






Genus
Egretta
Egret, Little Egretta garzetta Fourd:
Europe,
Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand
Photograped by: 1)
J M Garg - Kolkata 2)
DIck Daniels - Plettenberg Bay, South Africa
3) Dick - Cairns, Australia 4)
Birdman1 - the Okovango
Delta of Botswana, Africa
5)
Arno Meintjes 6, 7) Sandy Cole - St. Lucia, South Africa
1, 2) Breeding plumage. 7) The Little Egret, Egyption Geese, and Reed Cormorant kept the crocodile from coming ashore.





Egret, Reddish Egretta rufescens Found:
North America and Central America
Photographed by:
1)
Googie Man 2, 5) Dick Daniels - Ding Darling
National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel Island, Florida
3)
Alan D Wilson - Laguna Madre Nature Trail, South Padre Island, Texas
4)
Elaine R Wilson - Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, Huntington Beach, California




Egret, Snowy Egretta thula Found:
The Americas
Photographed by: 1)
Jason Engman 2) Dick Daniels - New Jersey 3) Dick - Huntington Beach, California
4)
Alan
D Wilson - Fulton Harbour,
Fulton, Texas 5,
6) Dick - Jamaica
1) Breeding plumae





Heron, Little Blue Egretta caerulea Found:
The Americas
Photographed by:
1, 2)
Dick Daniels - Jamaica
3, 6) Dick - Puerto Rico
4) Dick Daniels - Brookfield Gardens,
South Carolina 5) Dick - Southport, North Carolina
1) Juvenile




Heron, Tricolored Egretta tricolor Found:
The Americas
Photographed by:
1, 7) Dick Daniels - Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel Island, Florida
2, 5) Dick - Lake Okeechobee, Florida
3, 4, 6) Dick in the Carolinas





Heron, Eastern Reef aka
Pacific Reef Heron Egretta sacra Found: Asia, Australasia
Photographed by: 1)
John Feather 2, 3)
Glen Fergus - Ladt Elliot Island, Australia 4)
Oystercatcher
Most birds are dark, but there is also a white morph.



Heron, Western Reef Egretta gularis Found:
Africa, Asia
Photographed by: 1)
Bhardwaj Shanthanu - Kachchh, Gujarat, India
2, 3)
ChriKo near St. Louis, Senegal


Heron, White-faced Egretta novaehollandiae Found: Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand
Photographed by: 1,
3, 4, 5) Dick Daniels in Australia 2)
David Cook - Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve, Canberra, ACT



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