Pacific Reef Heron
Egretta sacra sacra ‡
Green Island, Cairns, FN Qld IMG_3712 20191221 - white & grey morphs
Notes: Sturdy. Thick greenish-yellow legs, long heavy bill.
Grey morph: sometimes white
centre to chin, throat; bill yellow to dark grey.
White morph: greenish to yellowish loral
skin; bill yellowish w. varying amounts
of brown-grey at tip & upper mandible. Breeding:
orange tinge to iris; legs,
bill stronger yellow tinge. Male larger. Cf
Western Reef Heron's
finer features.
Range from eBird©(last 10 years)
Foreshore, Cairns, FNE Qld IMG_5511 20170420 - white morph
Green Island, Cairns, FN Qld IMG_1709 20231109 grey morph. CLICK for white morph on 20191106.
Foreshore, Cairns, FNE Qld IMG_1318 20200601 - white morph w. some grey streaks. CLICK for another view.
Foreshore, Cairns, FNE Qld IMG_2429 20240401 - grey morph w. fish
Green Island, Cairns, FNQld IMG_9603 20190410 - white & grey morphs
Foreshore, Cairns, FNE Qld IMG_5555 20231010 flying. CLICK for one at Cape Hillsborough, NE Qld 20200809.
Eagle Bluff Inlet, Peron Pen, W WA IMG_6076 20181004 - grey morph
Foreshore, Cairns North, FNE Qld IMG_7133 20221114 - grey morph. CLICK for another on 20230824.
Foreshore, Cairns, FNE Qld IMG_0039 20210503 - grey morph chasing off young Little Egret. CLICK to see it strutting.
Foreshore, Elim Beach, CYP, FNE Qld IMG_8494 20201006 - juvenile grey morph: brown colours, including bill.CLICK for another view.
Foreshore, Cairns, FNE Qld IMG_2435 20240401 - grey morph fishing
Green Island, Cairns, FNE Qld MVI_4542 20191106 - grey morph
Green Island, Cairns, FNE Qld IMG_4472 20191106 - white morph