Posted by Phil Pickering (208.46.229.169) on June 10, 2002 at 08:23:29:
In Reply to: heron (egret) posted by Phil Pickering on June 09, 2002 at 23:38:25:
To clarify my confused terminology, I've been referring to all the longer head and neck feathers as plumes. Breeding plumage Little Blues do seem to have longer feathers on the sides of the upper neck, but they seem to typically be much shorter and finer than those of Reddish Egret, and unlike on Reddish Egret, they seem to lay pretty smoothly when not raised. Although the feathers on the sides of the upper neck are short on this bird, it's their very course appearance that seems strange to me for a Little Blue, and seemingly more what you would expect from a very worn Reddish Egret.
Also, in a photo or two of breeding-plumage Reddish Egrets I was able to see what appears to be the blue-gray body color on the base of the neck, peeking out from under the shaggy, long covering reddish neck feathers.
Phil