Big Foot Chick .Is that really a cattle egret chick?

[Steve Uffman]

John, been spending lots of time in some new splendid rookeries in Louisiana where pasture land has been converted to wetlands. All manner of wading birds have shown up and nesting activity is wonderful....While photographing 9 different species of wading birds nesting, then the hatch and now the chicks growing up, this one bird's nest seems to be a bit odd. Numerous Cattle egrets are nesting there and I have photographed many... including their chicks... and while they start out gray, none look like the one in the attached photo. ..and the feet on this chick are enormous...The seem larger than the entire chick and larger than even most of the adult Cattle egrets we have seen......It has left several of us curious....any thoughts?

Going to go back next couple of days to check the nest again and hopefully get a better quality image. FWIW, this small tree also has snowy egret, tri-colored herons, little blue herons and roseate spoonbill nests .

Anyway, is this a Cattle egret chick, an adoption, or a cross?

Appreciate the help
Steve

[Paul Guris]

I don't live near a Cattle Egret rookery for personal comparison, but a quick Google image search for "cattle egret chicks" brings up multiple shots that look pretty much like your bird. The feet looked pretty big in the few shots in which I could see them. The breast feathers look a bit odd, but it appears that they might be damp or so new that they haven't fanned out yet.

[shane shacaluga]

I was at a cattle egret colony over the weekend and the chicks I saw did not look anything like that hahaha

It looks wet and so does the adults breast so that may be the reason for its funky feather style

The feet look massive too!

[Steve Uffman]

Thanks...I am pretty sure its a Cattle Egret chick that is between the hatchlings that are gray and those slightly older that are white. Amazing all the colors that the cattle egrets go through....They actually are handsome in their breeding plumage when their legs, bill and eyes go red with hints of purple. Anyway, this bigfoot was just an odd looking chick...Those feet are crazy .....moisture was probably from him sweating....88F one hour after sunrise and about the same in humidity....miserable except for the target rich environment to take images...The other chicks all had their feathers sticking up as opposed to the haircut of this one HA

[John Chardine]

Hi Steve- Good comments above and thanks for posting the image. That chick is a strong candidate for the latest Pixar "cartoon" character!

[Paul Guris]

....88F one hour after sunrise and about the same in humidity....

UGH! Kill me now! I'd rather shoot seabirds from a bouncing boat in winter when the salt spray is turning to slush. Kudos to you for being able to handle it.