Reddish egret

Description

The reddish egret (Egretta rufescens) is a medium-sized heron.It is a resident breeder in Central America,The Bahamas,the Caribbean,the Gulf Coast of the United States,and Mexico.There is post-breeding dispersal to well north of the nesting range.In the past,this bird was a victim of the plume trade.According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department,there are only 1,500 to 2,000 nesting pairs of reddish egrets in the United States — and most of these are in Texas.They are classified as "threatened" in Texas and receive special protection.This species reaches 68–82 cm (27–32 in) in length,with a 116–125 cm (46–49 in) wingspan.Body mass in this species can range from 364–870 g (0.802–1.918 lb).Among standard linear measurements,the wing chord is 29–34.3 cm (11.4–13.5 in),the tail is 8.8–13 cm (3.5–5.1 in),the bill is 7.3–9.2 cm (2.9–3.6 in) and the tarsus is 11.7–14.7 cm (4.6–5.8 in).It is a medium-sized,long-legged,long-necked heron with a long pointed pinkish bill with a black tip.It is distinctly larger than other co-existing members of the Egretta genus,but smaller than the great blue heron and great egret.The legs and feet are bluish-black.The sexes are similar,but there are two color morphs.The adult dark morph has a slate blue body and reddish head and neck with shaggy plumes.The adult white morph has completely white body plumage.Young birds have a brown body,head,and neck.During mating,the males plumage stands out in a ruff on its head,neck and back.