Egretta rufescens

Two things set Egretta rufescens apart from the rest of its family: a limited range, and a eye-catching hunting method. The rarest of the North American ardeids (i.e. egrets and herons), the Reddish Egret is found mostly in Texas, with some residing along the Gulf Coast down into southern Florida. Its behavior of jumping, chasing, spinning, and flashing its wings around while it stalks fish is a distinctive trait among birds its size.

Egretta rufescens posesses a spastic elegance, unique in the world of the waders.

The Reddish Egret is dimorphic; there is a blue and red morph, and there is a much less common white morph. I was lucky to spot this first-year white morph today at Siesta Key Beach, jumping and whirling about in the shallow waves. If it wasn't for its dancing I would've dismissed it for the rampant Great Egret and kept on walking. Thankfully though, it gave itself away and captured my undivided attention and ecstatic admiration.