Identification of a nominate Intermediate Egret Ardea intermedia intermedia in south-western Australia
Martin A. Cake, John K. Graff, Daniel Mantle
pp. 227-233
Abstract
An adult Intermediate Egret in breeding plumage (pre-alternate moult) observed at Lake Joondalup, Western Australia, in January 2016 was identified as a vagrant of the Asian nominate taxon Ardea intermedia intermedia. Subspecific identification was established from the extent of black on the bill (which increased during the bird’s stay at the site, of at least 17 days), and was confirmed independently by its proportionally short and thickly tapering bill, which was found to lie outside the range of Australian A. i. plumifera from an image-based analysis of the bills of each taxon. This is the first documented record of this taxon for Australia.
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