The bird on the right compared to the Great on the left. They prefer to hunt in freshwater (marshes, cultivated fields), but are also found in mangroves, mudflats, estuaries. They prefer to roost in reedbeds, but will also roost in mangroves. It is medium (68-71cm), closer to Little than Great Egret with out the obvious neck kink; bill noticeably shorter & yellow in color when not breeding ie visiting peninsula Malaysia; legs and toes black. In breeding their body develop short breast plumes, long back plumes; bill becomes black.
Intermediate Egrets eat small fish, frogs and insect. They stalk for their prey on mud, grass or shallow water.
Intermediate Egrets are less common than the Little or Great Egrets. But they often hunt and roost with these other egrets as well as other herons. They are often confused with the Great Egret, but their noticeably shorter bills help to sort things out.
Intermediate Egrets breed far north of the Asian subcontinent, with some resident populations in Indochina, Myanmar and Southwest China.
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