Identifying Intermediate Egret Ardea intermedia

In Hong Kong, the two common large-sized yellow-billed egrets are Great and Intermediate Egret, while intermediate is the uncommoner one.

In HBW, the Intermediate Egret is a monotypic species Ardea intermedia, split with Plumed Egret Ardea plumifera in Indonesia, Papua and Australia and Yellow-billed Egret Ardea brachyrhyncha which is an African species.

It is very unlikely to find the other two split in Hong Kong so Great Egret will be the one usually be confused with.

For a typical Intermediate Egret usually shows stouter yellow bill with a dark rip, shorter and thicker neck, and the gape-line does not extend behind eye (while Great Egret does). These are enough to make a definite ID in acceptable range.

Intermediate Egret