This is an exciting time of year at Seabrook Island as we see many “Big White Birds” starting their courtships and nesting throughout the island. But are you still trying to figure out the difference between a Great Egret, a Snowy Egret and a White Ibis? Have you ever seen a Snowy Egret to only be later told it was a Cattle Egret or an immature Little Blue Heron?
We have found a great article for you to read! It is an excerpt from Better Birding: Tips, Tools & Concepts for the Field, by George Armistead and Brian Sullivan (Princeton University Press). The new book is not a field guide—it’s an exploration of the fine points of identification that anyone can learn with some patient study of similar species. The full volume contains 24 chapters, each focusing on a different group, from sparrows to swans and hawks to cormorants.
Take a few minutes to read the article and review the pictures here!
Another resource to review is our own SIPOA Wildlife Portal page focused on this same subject. Click here for a quick comparison.
We really think these two sites will help you feel more comfortable next time you see those “Big White Birds.”
This blog post is part of a series SIB will publish on a regular basis to feature birds seen in the area, both migratory and permanent residents. When possible we will use photographs taken by our members. Please let us know if you have any special requests of birds you would like to learn more about.
Update Gallery with pictures and range map
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Great article. I think this is the type of information that most Seabrook birders want.
On Sun, Apr 10, 2016 at 7:44 AM, Seabrook Island Birders (SIB) wrote:
> sibirders posted: “This is an exciting time of year at Seabrook Island as > we see many “Big White Birds” starting their courtships and nesting > throughout the island. But are you still trying to figure out the > difference between a Great Egret, a Snowy Egret and a White Ibis?” >
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