Virtua Gallery - A photographic Journal

Well - from the beginnings, when I started out with Photography Wading birds were and still are my favorite subject and I was puzzled by - what is called the white morph of the Great Blue Heron . Clearly not an Albino - and what the distribution is concerned too pinpointed as to be just a freak of Nature. And today I run into the excellent Blog of David Sibley, who happens to be the author of Audobon’s Sibley’s Guide to Birds.

And he dedicated a post to the question on what exactly is going on in the discussion around the Great Blue Heron. Not only gave me that some insight - I also discovered, that I had several photo’s of what is called the Wurdemann’s Heron in my Archive. I attributed the whiter color of that bird to the assumption of age, but obviously I was dead wrong. Looking closer reveals that there are quite noticeable differences. Aside from the whiter head and the overall more faded appearing coloration - the legs are paler and the breast area is almost pure white for the Wurdemann’s Heron, whereas the Great Blue Heron is speckled.
So tacking a new variety to my Wading Bird collection - the question still is open:

Different species? Subspecies? I tend to think of the latter as being the most reasonable assumption - overall these birds are too similar as to be sorted in different species. But they are also too different as to be called natures variations or morphs. But look for yourself! I compiled a gallery for you to get your own impression.

[Show as slideshow]

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Great White Heron

Great White Heron

Great White Heron

Great White Heron

Wurdemanns Heron

Wurdemanns Heron

Wurdemanns Heron

Wurdemanns Heron