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Monday, April 07, 2014

Great White Heron, Sanibel, FL


Yesterday we saw this Great White Heron at the Pond Apple Trail ponds, on Sanibel, FL. This is actually a subspecies of the Great Blue Heron, not a separate species. and unusual for this location as it is usually found more south of here in Florida.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

How can you tell it's a Great White, and not a Great Egret?

Lillian Stokes said...

Because of its size, shape and the bill and leg color. A Great Egret has an orangish yellow bill and black legs and is smaller than the Great White Heron. We write field guides to birds. See our Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America page 125 for a description and photo of the Great White Heron and page 126 for a descriptions and photos of Great Egret.