The western reef heron, also called the western reef egret, is a medium-sized heron found in southern Europe, Africa and parts of Asia. It has a mainly coastal distribution and occurs in several plumage forms: a slaty-grey plumage in which it can only be confused with the rather uncommon dark morph of the Little egret ; a white form which can look very similar to the little egret although the bill tends to be paler and larger and the black form with white throat E. g. gularis of West Africa. There are also differences in size, structure and foraging behaviour. There have been suggestions that the species hybridizes with the Little Egret, and based on this, some authors treat schistacea and gularis as subspecies of Egretta garzetta. Works that consider the Western Reef Heron as a valid species include the nominate gularis and schistacea as subspecies. Source: Wikipedia
Citation:
(Bosc, LAG 1792)
Reference:
Actes Soc. Hist. Nat. Paris
1, pt.1 p.4 pl.2
Protonym:
Ardea gularis
Type locality:
Senegal River.
Link:
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/163187#page/38/mode/1up
Avibase ID:
DF32B1F9C576957F
Avibase ID:
avibase-DF32B1F9
Short link:
https://avibase.ca/DF32B1F9
Taxonomic Serial Number:
TSN: 174822
Geographic range:
Authorities recognizing this taxonomic concept:
African Bird Club Checklist 2004: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
African Bird Club Checklist August 2005: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
African Bird Club Checklist March 2007: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
African Bird Club Checklist January 2008: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
African Bird Club Checklist May 2009: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
African Bird Club Checklist March 2010: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 6th edition (incl. 35th suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 6th edition (incl. 36th suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 6th edition (incl. 37th suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 6th edition (incl. 38th suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 6th edition (incl. 39th suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 6th edition (incl. 40th suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 6th edition (incl. 41st suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (1998): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 42nd suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 43rd suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 44th suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 45th suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 46th suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 47th suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 48th suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 49th suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 50th suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 51st suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 52nd suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 53rd suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 54th suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 55th suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 56th suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 57th suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 58th suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 59th suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 60th suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 61st suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 61st suppl. and addendum): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 62nd suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 63rd suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 64th suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 65th suppl.): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts (current): Western Reef-Egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 2023 (May 2023): Western Reef-Egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 2024 (Oct 2024): Western Reef-Egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 01 (August 2013): Western Reef-Egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 02 (May 2014): Western Reef-Egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 03 (March 2015): Western Reef-Egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 04 (Aug 2016): Western Reef-Egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 05 (Jan 2017): Western Reef-Egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 06 (Feb 2018): Western Reef-Egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 07 (Feb 2020): Western Reef-Egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 08 (Feb 2021): Western Reef-Egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 00: Western Reef-egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 01: Western Reef-egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 02: Western Reef-egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 03: Western Reef-egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 04: Western Reef-egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 05 (Jun 2012): Western Reef-egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 05.1 (Oct 2012): Western Reef-egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 06 (Nov 2013): Western Reef-egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 06.1 (Feb 2014): Western Reef-egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Christidis and Boles (2008): Systematics and Taxonomy of Australian Birds: Western Reef Egret ( Egretta gularis) |
Commission internationale pour les noms français des oiseaux (1993, révision 2009): Aigrette à gorge blanche ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Commission internationale pour les noms français des oiseaux (1993): Aigrette à gorge blanche ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2021: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2022: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2023: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2024: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements 3rd edition: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements 4th edition: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (as published): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2000 revisions): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2001 revisions): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2002 revisions): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2003 revisions): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2004 revisions): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2005 revisions): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (incl. 2007 revisions): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (incl. 2008 revisions): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (incl. 2009 revisions): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (version 6.5 incl. 2010 revisions): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (version 6.6 incl. 2011 revisions): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (version 6.7 incl. 2012 revisions): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (version 6.8 incl. 2013 revisions): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (version 6.9 incl. 2014 revisions): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2015: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2016: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2017: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2018: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2019: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
eBird version 1.50: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
eBird version 1.52: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
eBird version 1.53: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
eBird version 1.54: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
eBird version 1.55: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
eBird version 2015: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
eBird version 2016: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
eBird version 2017: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
eBird version 2018: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
eBird version 2019: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
eBird version 2021: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
eBird version 2022: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
eBird version 2023: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
eBird version 2024: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (as published): Western Reef Egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 1.2): Western Reef Egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 2.1): Western Reef Egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 3.1): Western Reef Egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 4): Western Reef Egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 5): Western Reef Egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 6): Western Reef Egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 7): Western Reef Egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 8): Western Reef Egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 4th edition (vol. 1-2): Western Reef Egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 4th edition (incl. corrigenda vol.1-2): Western Reef Egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.0: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.1: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.5: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.6: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.7: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.0: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.1: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.2: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.3: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.4: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.5: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.6: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.7: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.8: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.9: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.10: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.11: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.1: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.2: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.3: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.4: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.5: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.1: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.2: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.3: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.4: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.1: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.2: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.3: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.4: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.1: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.2: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.3: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.4: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 7.1: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 7.2: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 7.3: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 8.1: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 8.2: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 9.1: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 9.2: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 10.1: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 10.2: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 11.1: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 11.2: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 12.1: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 12.2: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 13.1: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 13.2: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 14.1: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 14.2: Western Reef Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Morony, Bock and Farrand: Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Oriental Bird Club: Western Reef Egret ( Egretta gularis) |
Peters' Check-list of the Birds: Egretta gularis [version 1] |
Peters' Check-list of the Birds (original): Demigretta gularis [version 2] |
Peters' Check-list of the Birds (2nd edition): Egretta gularis [version 1] |
Sibley and Monroe (1993): Western Reef-Egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Sibley and Monroe (1993, including corrections up to 1998): Western Reef-Egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Sibley and Monroe, Birds of the World Version 2.0: Western Reef-Egret ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (24/10/2003): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (14/09/2005): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (16/07/2006): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (26/09/2007): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (01/05/2008): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (30/09/2009): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (19/08/2010): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (8/08/2011): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (8/02/2012): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (4/09/2012): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (17/03/2013): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (9/02/2014): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (16/02/2015): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (28/07/2016): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (22/04/2017): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (4/06/2018): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (6/06/2019): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (20/02/2020): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (8/06/2020): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (24/08/2021): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (24/07/2022): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (28/09/2023): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (27/07/2024): Western Reef-Heron ( Egretta gularis) [version 1] |
Zoonomen - Zoological Nomenclature Resource: Egretta gularis [version 1] |
Zoonomen - Zoological Nomenclature Resource: Egretta gularis [version 1] |
Taxonomic status:
Species status: full species (sometimes nominal subspecies)
This taxon is considered a subspecies of
Egretta [garzetta, gularis or dimorpha]
(sensu lato) by some authors
Your sightings
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Other synonyms
See also the taxonomic synonyms table.
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