Western Reef Egret (Egretta gularis)

Rare but regular winter migrant to the coastal lagoons, mangroves, estuaries and shores, mainly in the north. There is a 19^th century record of breeding of Western Reef Egret near Chilaw in May and June by Layard. But since then no such records and now it is considered as exclusively a winter visitor to the country. Western Reef Egret occurs as two color morphs: dark morph with dark ashy grey plumage and pale morph with pure white plumage [Closely resemble to the Little Egret but can be distinguished by shape and color of the bill] or white plumage with grey patches. It is usually a solitary bird or lives in pairs, but sometimes associates with flocks of Little Egrets.