Sunfish 33 Loc: Merritt Island, Fl

I just wanted to share the information I received from Cornell Lab of Ornithology about the Great White Heron I posted last month asking for help identifying the bird. The original post link is listed below.

I was also thinking if some of you aren't aware of their web site would appreciate the info. They are a non profit orginization.

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-75467-1.html

-----Original Message-----
From: Cornell Lab of Ornithology [mailto:cornellbirds@cornell.edu]
Sent: Monday, December 10, 2012 2:33 PM
To: Lamar
Subject: RE: All About Birds: Great Blue Heron morph or Great White Heron?

Hi, Lamar,
So sorry for the delay in getting back to you. The holiday and then illness have made quite a mess of my inbox! The bird in your photo is definitely a Great White Heron, regardless of the fact that it was found at Merritt Island. The Great White Heron is a subspecies of Great Blue Heron, not a color "morph", and, while usually confined to the Florida Keys, the incredible habitat at Merritt island is a significant draw. In fact, a quick check of the data at eBird for the Great Blue Heron (White form) shows quite a few sightings outside of the Keys. Check them out:

http://ebird.org/ebird/map/grwher?neg=true&env.minX=&env.minY=&env.maxX=&env
.maxY=&zh=false&gp=false&mr=1-12&bmo=1&emo=12&yr=1900-2012&byr=1900&eyr=2012

You can scroll in the get closer to the actual data for each sighting. I hope you'll add yours at eBird, www.ebird.org.

Best, Anne

Anne Hobbs
Public Information Specialist
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
http://www.birds.cornell.edu

Keep in touch! I invite you to sign up for our monthly eNewsletter
(https://secure3.birds.cornell.edu/SSLPage.aspx?pid=1065) about birds and to join our vibrant Facebook community (http://facebook.com/cornellbirds) that asks and answers questions about birds.

The Cornell Lab is a not-for-profit organization with the mission to interpret and conserve the earth's biological diversity through research, education, and citizen science focused on birds.
If you are a member of the Lab, thank you for your support. If you're not yet a member, please join us (https://secure3.birds.cornell.edu/SSLpage.aspx?pid=1600).




-----Original Message-----
From: Lamar
Sent: Friday, November 16, 2012 2:28 PM
To: Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Subject: RE: All About Birds: Great Blue Heron morph or Great White Heron?

Hi Anne,

Thanks for taking a look. The first three images are of the bird I found on Merritt Island. The last image (IMG 8140 copya) is one I took at Bahia Honda in the Florida Keys. I have been told that the one in the Keys is clearly a Great White Heron and the one on Merritt island is a Great Blue Heron morph. I also read some experts argue that a Great White Heron is not a sub species of it's on, but simply a Great Blue Heron morph.

Do you think these two birds are in the same family or are they different?
I know the Great White Heron is common in the Keys but the bird I took pictures of is the first I've heard of or seen in this area.

Thanks for your help. I compressed the images for e-mail but can send larger files if you need it. I'm already signed up with Cornell but I will look for things I may have missed and will donate what I can.

Sincerely,

Lamar

Great White Heron at Merritt Island

BigAl Loc: Lincs UK

Hi Sunfish, will you have letters after your name now you are a star :D :thumbup: Could I have one of the first additions of your book that im sure you are going into print with as we speak, guess it will be something like "The Great White Hunter"

Sunfish 33 Loc: Merritt Island, Fl

Hi Bigal, "The Great White Hunter".....I like that...I guess I'll have to change my avatar now. I'll save you an audographed copy of the first edition. :D

birdpix Loc: South East Pennsylvania

Interesting Lamar. In your original post, I refered to it as a color morph and Anne is specific that it is a sub-species. My Sibley Guide to Birds lists it as a Color Morph and that book is one of the most highly regarded referencees. This just highlights one of the problems in ornithology today. Ornithologist don't always agree on what constitutes a species, sub-species or color morph. They keep changing the relationships as new genetic information becames available. It keeps us birders guessing and replacing our quickly outdated field guides.

If you are a real birder, Cornell has a website that has a tremendous amount of information about the various species of birds in Norht America. It is called "Birds of North America, Online" It has an annual subscription fee but has so much info about the birds it can make your eyes bleed.

http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna

Sunfish 33 Loc: Merritt Island, Fl

Thanks very much for your reply birdpix. It is interesting, but the main reason for my post was to share this information about Cornell with those that are not aware of it. As you know from my previous post and conversation with Anne I was aware that there is dissagreement in the scientific community about this particular bird. It is interesting to hear Cornell's take on it. That is all. They are not the final authority on the subject. Thanks again...I was hoping you would see this. Your opinion is certainly highly regarded in this community.