The rookery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center includes a large number of Great Egrets. These bird usually nest high in the canopy, and are even visible on some satellite imagery as small white dots on the tree tops.

Great Egret - UTSWMC
Great Egret - UTSWMC
Great Egret - UTSWMC

There are lots of juvenile egrets at this time of year. It is hard to decide if these gangly young birds are cute or if they are ugly. Well, its not really that hard. Whatever the case, the are fun to watch, and they do a number of amusing things.

Great Egret - UTSWMC
Great Egret - UTSWMC

One example is when siblings become so eager to feed that they begin to confuse each other for adult birds. Baby egrets eat by inserting their beaks into the mouth of their parents in order to feed on regurgitation. Some of the following pictures illustrate two nestlings engaging in this same behavior with each other.

Great Egret - UTSWMC
Great Egret - UTSWMC
Great Egret - UTSWMC
Great Egret - UTSWMC
Great Egret - UTSWMC
Great Egret - UTSWMC
CountyDallas
CityDallas
DateMay 19, 2013
Time of DayMidmorning
TemperatureWarm (70-89°F/21-32°C)
WeatherPartly Cloudy
HabitatUndeveloped-Wooded
Type of BehaviorCare of Young, Nesting
GenderMixed
MaturityMixed
ObserverChris Jackson

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