About Egretta eulophotes (Swinhoe, 1860)
The Chinese egret (Egretta eulophotes) has an average height of 68 cm. Its plumage is entirely white throughout its life, and it resembles the little egret (Egretta garzetta). Outside of the breeding season, the bill is dusky with a tannish peach basal portion, the lores and legs are yellow-green, the iris is yellow, and all individuals look the same during this season. In the breeding season, adult Chinese egrets grow a full, lush crest that can sometimes reach over 11 cm in length. They also develop long lanceolate plumes on the breast, and dorsal plumes that extend past the tail; these plumes are called aigrettes and are similar to those found on little egrets. Their bare body parts also change color: the bill becomes bright, almost orange-yellow, the lores turn bright blue, and the legs become black with yellow feet. Chinese egrets breed on small islands off the coasts of far eastern Russia, North Korea, South Korea, and mainland China. They used to breed in Taiwan and the New Territories of Hong Kong, but are now only non-breeding visitors or passage migrants to these areas. They are also non-breeding passage migrants or wintering birds in Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak, Singapore, Indonesia, and Brunei. The most important wintering habitats are the Eastern Visayas (the islands of Leyte, Bohol, and Cebu in the Philippines), and the Malaysian states of Sarawak and Selangor. Based on a winter census conducted in 2004/05, between one third and one half of the global Chinese egret population is believed to winter in these areas. The total global population is estimated at 2,600 to 3,400 individuals. Between 2002 and 2012, there was no significant population decline for this species. New breeding colonies have recently been discovered off the coast of southern China; this may be due to increased survey effort, but could also signal a real increase in population. The Chinese egret is classified as a vulnerable species, and its main threat is habitat loss. Outside of the breeding season, Chinese egrets live in shallow tidal estuaries, mudflats, and bays, and will occasionally visit rice fields and fish ponds. All recent breeding records of this species have been from offshore islands.
