Adult: A leggy white wading bird. Black wingtips seen only in flight. Long decurved reddish bill, red legs. Red skin patch around eye.  

Breeding Adult: Facial skin, bill and legs become brilliant red.

Immature: Brown with white belly and rump. In flight, the white rump and dark neck are distinctive. Lighter pinkish bill. Legs gray. Adult plumage after one year.

Habitat: Freshwater habitats. Salt marshes, mudflats. Swamps and open country.

A Florida resident.

Text by Mary Jean Rogers, West Volusia Audubon.

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