Breeding time

When some birds are ready to mate, their appearance let it know too.

The fascinating thing about birds is that they are never the same. While growing up, their plumage keep changing colors (think of hummingbirds or raptors), making it already quite interesting. Some birds even go a step further; they change when they are ready to mate. Here are some examples:

The Great Egret is already one bird you can't miss. A large white heron (96 cm) seen usually near the river. When it is ready to mate, you'll see some long extra plumes on its back extending way beyond its tail too.

This picture clearly shows you the difference between a breeding (orange stains) and non breeding (immaculate white) Cattle Egret. See also the difference in color when looking at their legs.

And the Capped Heron. The first Capped Heron was a non breeding bird (all white). The second one shows that it gradually is ready to mate (soft yellow appearance). In the last picture you can clearly see two Capped Herons ready to breed (visible yellow plumage)

When some birds are ready to mate, they surely want to stand out in the crowd. An extra long plumage or changing colors are just the way to make their announcement loud and clear.

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