Little Egret Egretta garzetta prancing across water to disturb fish, Jacana Eco-educational Nature Park (23.183635, 120.311675), Taiwan, February. (Craig Brelsford)Little Egret Egretta garzetta (1b) has thinner legs than non-breeding Chinese EgretE. eulophotes (1a), and Chinese has a thicker, more dagger-like bill (2a) than Little (2b). The bill of non-breeding Chinese has a yellow base to the lower mandible; the bill of Little is all-black, or, as here, black with pinkish base. Chinese (3) often appears hunched and more thick-set than the longer-legged and longer-necked Little (4). Chinese is also more likely to show greenish tibiae and tarsi (1a, 3). Little Egret is a common resident in Shanghai. Chinese Egret is an uncommon to rare passage migrant. — Craig Brelsford (photos: Craig Brelsford and Elaine Du)Blue-billed breeding Little Egret (L) with yellow-billed breeding Chinese Egret, Dongtai-Tiaozini (32.850697, 120.967225), Jiangsu, China, June. In breeding season, Little Egret and Chinese Egret are readily separable by their differently colored bills. (Craig Brelsford)Little Egret, juvenile, Happy Island (39.129077, 118.829923), Hebei, China, August. (Craig Brelsford)
