Heron and Egret

Hasties Swamp National Park, Queensland, Australia, October 19, 2009

The dark-bodied bird is a White-necked Heron, Ardea pacifica, while the egret is an Eastern Great Egret, Casmerodius modestus. Not everyone considers the Eastern Great Egret to be a distinct species, but given the diversity of great egrets, it is likely that there are more than just the two species (Eastern and Western).