Dimorphic egret

The dimorphic egret (Egretta dimorpha) is a species of heron in the family Ardeidae. It is found in Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Mayotte, Seychelles, and Tanzania.

Dimorphic egret
White morph on Nosy Ve, Madagascar
Dark morph at Parc Tsarasaotra, Madagascar
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Pelecaniformes
Family:	Ardeidae
Genus:	Egretta
Species:	E. dimorpha
Binomial name
Egretta dimorpha Hartert, 1914

white and black morph together

The dimorphic egret is sometimes considered as a subspecies of the western reef egret (Egretta gularis)[1] or as a subspecies of the little egret (Egretta garzetta).[2][3]

The dimorphic egret can sometimes be found on rooftops, finding insects in the gutters of houses.[4]

References

1. del Hoyo, J.; Collar, N.; Kirwan, G.M. (2017). del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J.; Christie, D.A.; de Juana, E. (eds.). "Western Reef-egret (Egretta gularis)". Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
2. Clements, J.F.; Schulenberg, T.S.; Iliff, M.J.; Roberson, D.; Fredericks, T.A.; Sullivan, B.L.; Wood, C.L. (2017). "The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017". Retrieved 22 September 2017.
3. Dickinson, E.C.; Remsen, J.V., Jr., eds. (2013). The Howard & Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World, Volume 1: Non-passerines (4th ed.). Eastbourne, UK: Aves Press. ISBN 978-0-9568611-0-8.
4. Cheryl-Samantha Owen (April 10, 2008). "Slow and steady, like the tortoise and the rail". The Telegraph.

Further reading

• Taylor, D. (2010). "The Egretta garzetta complex in East Africa. A case for one, two or three species". Scopus. 30: 59–62.