Date: 6/8/26 4:15 am From: Jennifer Outlaw Coulson via groups.io <jenniferocoulson...> Subject: Re: [labird] White herons
Hi Pat,
I honestly do not know what Merlin is identifying as a "White Heron" by
sound, but the scientific name that Merlin provided (in your screenshot) is
currently referred to most commonly as the Great Egret. The Great Egret is
common throughout Louisiana, including in the Husser area.
The Great White Heron is currently treated as a species, *Ardea
occidentalis*, restricted to peninsular Florida, although it has been known
to stray. It was previously lumped with Great Blue Heron when it was
considered to be a white morph.
No doubt Van or others have more information. Here's some reading on the
subject:
On Sun, Jun 7, 2026 at 7:32 AM Patricia Lanier via groups.io
<patricia.lanier...> wrote:
> Are white herons now considered common in Louisiana?
> This bird is appearing often in the Merlin sessions I do on my morning
> walks. However, I never see them. So I generally ignore it when I do the
> eBird reports.
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> Pat Lanier
> Husser, Louisiana
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