Breeding plumage

George Hobson · Post by **George Hobson** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 7:24 pm

Hi

Looking at the WF Herons at the Hutt Estuary. I was wondering, do these species have a slight change in plumage in the breeding season? I'm sure they look brighter on the breast at this time of year rather than earlier.

Thanks

George Hobson · Post by **George Hobson** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 7:57 pm

Example:

The breast looks a lot brighter than earlier this year.

Jan · Post by **Jan** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 9:29 am

Yes, their breast plumes do get brighter pink and all their plumes get longer and more obvious. Sometimes they look really spectacular, which reminds you how fashionable ladies back in the day, nearly caused the extinction of some species by the craze for hat plumes. One of the reasons why the RSPB was formed.

George Hobson · Post by **George Hobson** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 4:43 pm

Jan wrote:Yes, their breast plumes do get brighter pink and all their plumes get longer and more obvious.

Thanks, Jan. Just what I thought.

boneywhitefoot · Post by **boneywhitefoot** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 11:37 am

here is one I took that shows some of the cape that the males develope

https://www.flickr.com/photos/131923119 ... ed-public/

George Hobson · Post by **George Hobson** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 6:34 pm

boneywhitefoot wrote:here is one I took that shows some of the cape that the males develope

https://www.flickr.com/photos/131923119 ... ed-public/

Thanks

Breeding plumage

Breeding plumage

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