Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: ParaHoxozoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Cladus: Olfactores
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Cladus: Sauropsida
Cladus: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Neodiapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Cladus: Archelosauria
Cladus: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crocopoda
Cladus: Archosauriformes
Cladus: Eucrocopoda
Cladus: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Cladus: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Cladus: Saurischia
Cladus: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Cladus: Averostra
Cladus: Tetanurae
Cladus: Avetheropoda
Cladus: Coelurosauria
Cladus: Tyrannoraptora
Cladus: Maniraptoromorpha
Cladus: Maniraptoriformes
Cladus: Maniraptora
Cladus: Pennaraptora
Cladus: Paraves
Cladus: Eumaniraptora
Cladus: Avialae
Subclassis: Aves
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Neognathae
Cladus: Neoaves
Cladus: Aequornithes
Ordo: Pelecaniformes
Familia: Ardeidae
Subfamilia: Ardeinae
Genus: Ardea
Species: Ardea intermedia
Name
Ardea intermedia Wagler, 1829
Synonyms
Mesophoyx intermedia (Wagler, 1829)
Egretta intermedia (Wagler, 1829)
References
Wagler, J.G. 1829. Beyträge und Bemerkungen zu dem ersten Bande seines Systema Avium. Isis von Oken 22(6): 645–664 BHL Reference page. col. 659
Vernacular names
Afrikaans: Geelbekwitreier
العربية: بلشون متوسط
অসমীয়া: পানী বগলী
български: Средна бяла чапла
भोजपुरी: मझिला बकुला
বাংলা: মাঝারি বক
català: Martinet intermedi
Deutsch: Mittelreiher
English: Intermediate Egret
Esperanto: Meza ardeo
español: Garza intermedia
euskara: Koartzatxo ertain
فارسی: قار میانجثه
suomi: Pikkujalohaikara
français: Héron intermédiaire
Bahasa Indonesia: Kuntul perak
italiano: Garzetta intermedia
日本語: チュウサギ
lietuvių: Vidutinis baltasis garnys
മലയാളം: ചെറുമുണ്ടി
Bahasa Melayu: Burung Bangau Kerbau
नेपाली: मझौला सेतोबकुल्ला
Nederlands: Middelste zilverreiger
norsk: Duskhegre
polski: Czapla czarnonoga
پنجابی: درمیانا ایگرٹ
русский: Средняя белая цапля
svenska: Mellanhäger
தமிழ்: வெண் கொக்கு
Tiếng Việt: Cò ngàng nhỏ
中文: 中白鹭
The medium egret (Ardea intermedia), median egret, smaller egret or intermediate egret, is a medium-sized heron. Some taxonomists put the species in the genus Egretta or Mesophoyx. It is a resident breeder in southern and eastern Asia.
Taxonomy
Some authorities classify the intermediate egret species complex in its own monotypic genus, Mesophoyx, while others place it with the smaller egrets in Egretta.[2]
There were three recognised subspecies,[2][1] and these are sometimes raised in to species:[3]
A. i. brachyrhyncha Brehm, 1854 "yellow-billed egret" - sub-Saharan Africa
A.i. intermedia Wagler, 1827 "intermediate egret" - Asia from the Russian Far East to Japan to India and the Greater Sundas
A. i. plumifera Gould, 1848 "plumed egret" - eastern Indonesia, New Guinea and Australia.
A.(i.) intermedia differs from A.(i.) brachyrhyncha and A. (i.) plumifera by having a black bill when in breeding plumage, while A.(i.) plumifera has a yellow-and-pink bill and A. (i.) brachyrhyncha has much yellower lores and face. A further difference between this species and the "yellow-billed" species is that the intermediate egret has black at the top of the legs compared to reddish in the yellow-billed egret.[3]
The split of intermediate egret into 3 species was accepted by the IOC on 26 September 2023, this form was given the common name medium egret by the IOC.[4]
Description
The medium egret, as its scientific name implies, is intermediate in size between the great egret and smaller white egrets like the little egret and cattle egret, though nearer to little than great. It is about 56–72 cm (22–28 in) long with a 105–115 cm (41–45 in) wingspan and weighs c. 400 g (14 oz),[5] with all-white plumage, generally dark legs and a thickish yellow bill. Breeding birds may have a reddish or black bill, greenish yellow gape skin, loose filamentous plumes on their breast and back, and dull yellow or pink on their upper legs (regional variations). The sexes are similar.[6]
Differences from other egrets
Sketch comparing gapes of intermediate and great egrets
The medium egret has non-breeding colours which are similar to other white egrets, but the intermediate is smaller, with neck length a little less than body length, a slightly domed head, and a shorter, thicker bill. The great egret has a noticeable kink near the middle of its neck, and the top of its longer bill nearly aligns with the flat top of its head. Close up, great egret's gape line extends behind the eye, while the intermediate's is less pointed and ends below the eye. The intermediate tends to stalk upright with neck extended forward. The great is more patient, often adopting a sideways-leaning "one-eyed" stance. Little egrets have yellow-soled feet and black bills. They often run after fish in shallow water. Breeding birds have long nuptial plumes on the back of their heads.[7]
Behaviour
The medium egret stalks its prey methodically in shallow coastal or fresh water, including flooded fields. It eats fish, frogs, crustaceans and insects. It often nests in colonies with other herons, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. The typical clutch size is 2 or 3 eggs but there can be as many as 6 eggs in a clutch, the colour of the eggs is pale green, with a smooth, slightly pitted shell. Both parents incubate the eggs and they hatch after between 24 and 27 days. The eggs hatch asynchronously, after hatching the adults brood the semialtricial young for 12 days, defending the nests from aerial predators during both incubation and brooding, they crouch over the nest and raise their plumes and point their bill towards the threat. The parents regurgitate the food to feed the young, initially onto the floor of the nest but later the chick takes the food from the parent's mouth. There may be competition for food within the brood. Pinfeathers may appear on the chicks as early as 4 days old and the young are able to leave the nest at 24 days old, although they return to be fed. Fledging occurs at around 40 days old and they leave the colony after 70 days. In Africa and Australia they are reported to be quite successful breeders with 96% and 88% of nests fledging at least a single chick. Intermediate egret populations are more successful in wet years than in dry years.[7]
BirdLife International (2020). "Ardea intermedia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T22727668A181757896. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22727668A181757896.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
"Storks, ibis, herons". IOC World Bird List version 8.2. International Ornithological Congress. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
Martínez-Vilalta, A.; Motis, A.; Kirwan, G.M. (2018). del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J.; Christie, D.A.; de Juana, E. (eds.). "Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia)". Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. doi:10.2173/bow.integr.01. S2CID 240970149. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
"IOC World Bird List v13.2 Proposed Splits/Lumps". IOC. 26 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J., eds. (1992). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. Volume 1: Ostrich to Ducks. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions.
Ali, S. (1993). The Book of Indian Birds (Eleventh revised ed.). Bombay: Bombay Natural History Society/Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195621679.
"Intermediate Egret Ardea intermedia (Wagler)". Heron Conservation The IUCN-SCC Heron Specialist Group. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
Birds of The Gambia by Barlow, Wacher and Disley, ISBN 1-873403-32-1
Birds of India by Grimmett, Inskipp and Inskipp, ISBN 0-691-04910-6
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/"
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License
