This is an Intermediate Egret – Mesophoyx intermedia, a member of the Ardeidae family of Egrets. The bird is in breeding plumage, with flowing Mantle Plumes. The Feathery Plumes give it the name Egret — “Aigrettes” meaning flowing soft feathers in French and Old English. These birds were hunted down in this plumage, to get the soft filamentous plumes to decorate Ladies Hats of European countries. Now banned and protected by CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species).

[Pic. by SOM photographer M.N. Lakshminarayana Yadav]