intermediate egret
intermediate egretintermediate egretintermediate egretintermediate egret

intermediate egret

Egretta intermedia

Silhouette: L. Shyamal · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Hong Kong

In 3 days <5%

18 Verified sightings at Hong Kong
15,482 In all 84 parks From 2019 to 2026
May Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the intermediate egret

The medium egret (Ardea intermedia), median egret, smaller egret or intermediate egret, is a medium-sized heron. Some taxonomists put the species in the genus Egretta or Mesophoyx. It is a resident breeder in southern and eastern Asia.

Some authorities classify the intermediate egret species complex in its own monotypic genus, Mesophoyx, while others place it with the smaller egrets in Egretta. There were three recognised subspecies, and these are sometimes raised into species:

A.i. intermedia Wagler, 1827 "intermediate egret" - Asia from the Russian Far East to Japan to India and the Greater Sundas A.(i.) intermedia differs from A.(i.) brachyrhyncha and A. (i.) plumifera by having a black bill when in breeding plumage, while A.(i.) plumifera has a yellow-and-pink bill and A. (i.) brachyrhyncha has much yellower lores and face. A further difference between this species and the "yellow-billed" species is that the intermediate egret has black at the top of the legs compared to reddish in the yellow-billed... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Keoladeo National Park 🇮🇳 India
~60%
2 Wilpattu National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
~50%
3 Kakadu National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~50%
4 Kaziranga National Park 🇮🇳 India
~50%
5 Yala National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
~40%
6 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~40%
7 Udawalawe National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
~30%
8 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~30%
9 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~30%
10 Chitwan National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
~30%
11 Minneriya National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
~30%
12 Sundarbans National Park 🇮🇳 India
~30%
13 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~30%
14 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
~30%
15 Ranthambore National Park 🇮🇳 India
~30%
16 Nagarhole National Park 🇮🇳 India
~20%
17 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~20%
18 Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~20%
19 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~20%
20 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
~20%
21 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
~20%
22 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
~20%
23 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~20%
24 Kanha National Park 🇮🇳 India
~20%
25 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~20%
26 Periyar National Park 🇮🇳 India
~20%
27 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
28 Daintree National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
29 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
30 Satpura National Park 🇮🇳 India
~10%
31 Manas National Park 🇮🇳 India
~10%
32 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~10%
33 Khao Sok National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~10%
34 Bali Barat National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~10%
35 Gir National Park 🇮🇳 India
~10%
36 Bandipur National Park 🇮🇳 India
~10%
37 Litchfield National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
38 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
39 Way Kambas National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~10%
40 Cat Tien National Park 🇻🇳 Vietnam
~10%
41 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
42 Niokolo-Koba National Park 🇸🇳 Senegal
~10%
43 Royal Bardia National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
~10%
44 Bandhavgarh National Park 🇮🇳 India
~10%
45 Bako National Park 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~10%
46 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
47 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
48 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~10%
49 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
~10%
50 De Hoop Nature Reserve 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
51 Kaeng Krachan National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~10%
52 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
53 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
54 uMkhuze Game Reserve 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
55 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
56 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
<5%
57 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
58 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
59 Sepilok 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%
60 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
61 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
62 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
<5%
63 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
64 Nitmiluk National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
65 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
66 Jim Corbett National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
67 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
68 Gunung Leuser National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
<5%
69 Raja Ampat 🇮🇩 Indonesia
<5%
70 Danum Valley Conservation Area 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%
71 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
72 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
73 Mudumalai National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
74 Sinharaja Forest Reserve 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
<5%
75 Noosa National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
76 Khao Yai National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
<5%
77 Kerinci Seblat National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
<5%
78 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
79 Hattah-Kulkyne National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
80 Doi Inthanon National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
<5%
81 Royal Manas National Park 🇧🇹 Bhutan
<5%
82 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
83 Taman Negara National Park 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%
84 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Thiruvananthapuram 🇮🇳 India
~40%
2 Ponnani 🇮🇳 India
~40%
3 Kochi 🇮🇳 India
~30%
4 Dakar 🇸🇳 Senegal
~30%
5 Surat 🇮🇳 India
~30%
6 Coimbatore 🇮🇳 India
~30%
7 Kota 🇮🇳 India
~30%
8 Brisbane 🇦🇺 Australia
~30%
9 Vasai-Virar 🇮🇳 India
~30%
10 Kollam 🇮🇳 India
~30%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

# Zoo / Centre Country
1 Vinpearl Safari 🇻🇳 Vietnam In captivity
2 Nehru Zoological Park 🇮🇳 India In captivity
3 Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens 🇨🇳 China In captivity
4 Edward Youde Aviary 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR China In captivity

Closest Relatives at Hong Kong

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Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Pacific Reef Heron
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Egretta sacra

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Black-crowned Night Heron
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Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Great Egret
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Ardea alba

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Grey Heron
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☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ardea cinerea

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Chinese Pond Heron
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Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Striated Heron
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Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Red-whiskered Bulbul
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Red-whiskered Bulbul

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pycnonotus jocosus

Daily sighting probability ~90% · Very likely
Pearl-necked Dove
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Pearl-necked Dove

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spilopelia chinensis

Daily sighting probability ~90% · Very likely
Oriental Magpie-Robin
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🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Copsychus saularis

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely
Swinhoe’s White-eye
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🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Zosterops simplex

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely
Light-vented Bulbul
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Pycnonotus sinensis

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an intermediate egret in Hong Kong?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an intermediate egret sighting in Hong Kong on a given day, based on 18 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 151st most-seen of the 204 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see an intermediate egret in Hong Kong?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report an intermediate egret in Hong Kong on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

What time of day is best to see an intermediate egret?

Between 7 and 10 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most intermediate egret sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Hong Kong the best place to see an intermediate egret?

120th of 123

Of the 123 cities where we can rate intermediate egret sightings, Hong Kong ranks 120th at under 5%. The best odds are in Thiruvananthapuram (India, about 40%), Ponnani (India, about 40%) and Kochi (India, about 30%).

Where does the intermediate egret sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the intermediate egret is recorded against all the birds logged in Hong Kong (18 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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